TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Preparations have begun to resume group tours to Taiwan for residents of Shanghai and Fujian, China’s tourism ministry said Friday.

China said travel preparations are being made to promote normalized cross-strait exchanges and to respond to the Taiwan’s tourism industry's expectations, per CNA. Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council said after the announcement that specific details of the tours are still being finalized and that Chinese tourists are welcome.

The council said China is expected to formalize the arrangement soon via discussions between both sides’ agencies for cross-strait tourism. It said the two agencies would communicate to ensure safe, quality, and stable cross-strait tourism.

Taiwan has said it has always welcomed Chinese tourists after cross-strait travel was suspended during the COVID-19 pandemic. Both sides have traded blame for failing to resume travel and Taiwan warned its travelers against entering China last year citing fears they would be arbitrarily detained.

China said it would resume inbound travel for Taiwanese tourists in May last year. Four months later it said Chinese tourists would again be allowed to visit the outlying Kinmen and Matsu islands.