TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Mainland Affairs Council has denied 13 Chinese officials, including Jin Mei (金梅), director of the Shanghai Taiwan Affairs Office, from entering Taiwan to attend the Taipei Lantern Festival.

MAC Minister Chiu Chui-cheng (邱垂正) said the decision was largely based on Bejing’s obstruction of China-based Taiwanese businesspeople returning home to join activities organized by the Straits Exchange Foundation, Liberty Times reported. SEF invites China-based Taiwanese businesspeople to its annual Lunar New Year events.

Logically, those from Shanghai, home to many Taiwanese businesses, should make up the largest percent of those coming home, but there have been "very few" in recent years, Chiu said.

Chiu explained that some Chinese groups were approved to participate in the Taipei Lantern Festival, but the Taiwan Affairs Office delegation's application was submitted too late for review. He hoped for mutual goodwill and positive interactions between the two sides to promote peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.