Officials warn of risks from China's new campaign to woo Taiwan's youth

Taipei, Oct. 4 (CNA) Anyone planning trips to China need to consider the necessity and prioritize personal safety, officials in charge of affairs across the Taiwan Strait said on Friday, warning of the risks from China's newly announced incentives to attract first-time visitors from Taiwan.

Cheap group tours and free access to attractions are measures in China's efforts to stimulate its domestic consumption, but people in Taiwan should first consider risks to their personal safety if they plan to visit China, Mainland Affair Council chief Chiu Chui-cheng (邱垂正) said at the Legislative Yuan in Taipei.

Chiu made the remarks when asked by Legislator Lin I-Chin (林宜瑾) about the council's plan to respond to China's new campaign to attract first-time visitors from Taiwan.

According to a statement released to reporters by Chen Binhua (陳斌華), a spokesperson of the Taiwan Affairs Office in Beijing on Sept. 30, a total of 1,256 attractions across China are offering free access for one year to holders of their first "Tai Bao Zheng," an entry permit issued by China to Taiwanese visitors.

The Potala Palace in Lhasa, Tibet, the Summer Palace built during the Qing dynasty in Beijing, and Leiqiong Global Geopark in a volcanic field in Hainan are among the attractions in the new tourism promotion scheme, according to local media reports.

However, Chiu said the council raised the travel alert for Mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau to the second-highest orange alert, advising Taiwanese citizens to avoid unnecessary travel in late June, following China's issuance of a set of guidelines specifically targeting advocates of Taiwan independence with vague legal definitions.

In a press briefing held by the Straits Exchange Foundation in Taipei the same day, foundation chairman Luo Wen-jia (羅文嘉) called the travel incentives part of China's propaganda works targeting young people in Taiwan.

Luo cited information over the past two years and said young Taiwanese need to be cautious about sponsored trips, exchanges, internships, and especially job offers, given China's slowing economy and high youth employment rates.

Luo also pointed to local government-sponsored summer camps held across China, saying they are part of systematic Chinese propaganda aimed at Taiwan.

Stressing that Taiwanese visiting or working in China are required to provide their personal information for a local mobile phone number if they want to use common services, such as mobile payment, Luo said that means each individual's online and business activities are all monitored.