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Bloomberg
In its latest effort to increase pressure on Taiwan, Beijing said it will suspend a programme that allowed individual tourists from 47 Chinese cities to travel to Taiwan, citing the current state of relations between the two sides.
The ban is effective from August 1, according to a statement from the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, and means that Chinese nationals can only travel to Taiwan as tourists if they’re part of tour groups. The scheme had been in place since 2011 under the more China-friendly administration of former President Ma Ying-jeou.
The ministry’s statement didn’t provide any further details as to the reason for the ban.
The unexpected move comes as China attempts to isolate Taiwan and Tsai Ing-wen, it’s independence-leaning president. The move may also be aimed at hurting her re-election chances in January’s presidential election.
China Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying declined to answer a question about the decision, asking reporters at a briefing in Beijing on Wednesday afternoon to talk to the relevant department for Taiwan affairs.
Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council condemned China’s move in a statement, saying cross-strait tourism is an important way of promoting better understanding between both sides.