TAIPEI (Taiwan News) —Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) Minister Chiu Tai-san (邱太三) said Monday (March 13) that cross-strait tourism must be based on the principle of reciprocity — noting that China prohibits its tourists from visiting Taiwan.

KMT Legislator Lee De-wei (李德維) said Monday during an Internal Administration Committee meeting in the legislature that Taiwan's tourism and hotel operators are looking forward to Chinese tourists visiting and spending in Taiwan. He added that China does not forbid Taiwanese from traveling to China independently, CNA reported.

Chiu explained that since Aug. 1, 2019, China has banned its people from visiting Taiwan for independent travel for political reasons and that Taiwan is not currently included in China’s list of oversea destinations that are open to Chinese tour groups. The opening up of cross-strait tourism must be reciprocal, Chu said, adding that Lee should instead ask China why it banned its people from traveling to Taiwan independently.

Deputy Minister of Transportation and Communications Chi Wen-chung (祁文中) said the opening of tourism will benefit both sides of the strait, but it needs to be opened on a reciprocal basis. With China not allowing tour groups to go to Taiwan at this point, Taiwan, of course, will not allow its tour groups to visit China.

Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Chuang Jui-hsiung (莊瑞雄) said that it was China that took the initiative to ban its tour groups and independent travelers from coming to Taiwan, per CNA.