TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Members of a Taiwanese tour group involved in a bus accident in China’s Gansu Province, which left one person dead and 12 injured, returned to Taiwan on Tuesday.
The group arrived at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport, where injured travelers received assistance, including transport by electric vehicle through the terminal. One member of the group carried the ashes of a deceased family member, per CNA.
The airport dispatched electric carts to assist family members from the boarding gate to an African swine fever screening station. Staff from multiple agencies then accompanied them through customs before they departed from the airport.
The Mainland Affairs Council issued a statement a day earlier addressing the incident. It reiterated the government’s ban on group travel to China, a policy in place since 2020.
Despite the ban, group travelers continue to visit China through modified itineraries, raising concerns about reduced protections for Taiwanese tourists. It said that in the event of accidents or natural disasters, agencies can provide necessary assistance through existing cross-strait coordination mechanisms.
Regarding the Gansu accident, the Mainland Affairs Council said the Straits Exchange Foundation, the Tourism Administration, and travel industry representatives assisted the victims and their families. This included managing the group’s return itinerary and handling the remains of the deceased.
It said the group had purchased travel liability insurance, including coverage for accidental death and injury, and assigned a tour leader to accompany them despite being organized by relatives and friends rather than a travel agency. Mainland Affairs Council said travelers’ rights or protections were not compromised by the government's ban on such travel, per the press release.
On the broader issue of lifting the group tour ban, it reiterated that Taiwan maintains an “orange” travel alert for China and will not lift restrictions until the safety and personal freedom of Taiwanese can be ensured.
It cited China’s recent revisions to national security regulations and measures targeting so-called separatists, along with encouragement of public reporting, as factors increasing risks for Taiwanese in China, Hong Kong, and Macau.
From Jan. 1, 2024, to March 31, 2026, authorities recorded 330 cases of Taiwanese reported missing, detained, or suspected of having their personal freedoms restricted in China. Given these risks, the government urged citizens to carefully consider travel plans and avoid unnecessary trips to China.
There are emergency assistance mechanisms for tourists in China. This includes a 24-hour hotline operated by the Straits Exchange Foundation to support Taiwanese abroad.
