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3 Reasons China Cut Permits for Tourists Going to Taiwan

Ralph Jennings

   TAIPEI - China's decision last week to stop issuing permits for
   independent tourists to Taiwan applies new economic pressure to their
   already strained relations, and analysts see three underlying reasons
   behind Beijing's move.

   Beijing's Ministry of Culture and Tourism cited the "current mainland
   China-Taiwan relations" as cause to stop permitting indie travelers
   after about a decade. China regards self-ruled Taiwan as part of its
   territory rather than a state, but Taiwan prefers at least today's
   level autonomy over the Chinese goal of unification. That schism has
   caused the two sides to chafe for 70 years.

   Here are three reasons China cut off travel permits:

   Taiwan's president opposes China despite earlier pressure to get along

   Suspending the travel permits lets China remind Taiwan of its economic
   clout, some analysts say.

   The permit shutdown ends a process that generated on average more than
   82,000 arrivals per month last year, which boosted the island's service
   economy.

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