TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — China restricted the movements of 20 Taiwanese visitors in January, the Mainland Affairs Council said Thursday.

With the Lunar New Year starting this weekend, Mainland Affairs Council Minister Chiu Chui-cheng (邱垂正) urged caution when considering a visit to China, CNA reported. To illustrate the rising risks associated with such a trip, he said the number of Taiwanese who disappeared or were detained in China rose from 55 in 2024 to 221 in 2025.

Including the 20 new cases in January, the number of Taiwanese who have disappeared in China or been subjected to some form of detention or restriction of movement since Jan. 2024 has reached 296, Chiu said. The list included 102 people who had disappeared, 25 ordered to stay in one location, and 169 whose movements had been restricted. He said there might be more cases that were never reported.

The Yiguandao religious movement counted 11 members who have been barred from returning to Taiwan. Traveling to a country with no freedom of speech or opinion involves certain risks, Chiu said.

Taiwan is maintaining an orange alert level for China, Hong Kong, and Macau. The warning advises against unnecessary travel to the Chinese-controlled territories.