A mainland tourism official on Sunday blamed the Taiwan
authorities for putting obstacles in the way of mainland tourists
who want to visit Taiwan.
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The Chinese mainland removed the travel ban on mainland residents
to Taiwan in May 2005, in order to expand people-to-people contacts
and help boost Taiwan's tourism industry.
Since October 2006, non-governmental tourism organizations on
the mainland and in Taiwan have conducted five rounds of talks and
reached consensus on major technical issues.
"But the consultation process was hindered by the Taiwan
authorities, which led to sharp differences on certain issues
between the negotiators," Shao Qiwei, director of China's National
Tourism Administration, said at the closing ceremony of a two-day
cross-Straits forum.
The mainland has showed great flexibility and offered many
practical solutions, Shao said. "But the suggestions that the
mainland put forward during the fifth round of consultations have
so far received no feedback."
"It is clear to all that the mainland should not be blamed for
the failure to open Taiwan-bound tourist routes to mainland
residents," Shao said.
The official said the mainland will continue to show the
greatest sincerity and do its best to solve the issue.
"But it must be pointed out that mainland residents traveling to
Taiwan are not taking country-to-country trips," he said.
Shao said he hoped the Taiwan authorities will "follow the will
of the people and adopt a practical and positive attitude" in
solving the remaining problems relating to cross-Straits
travel.
"If the Taiwan authorities sincerely support the consensus
reached between non-governmental tourism organizations on both
sides of the Straits, Taiwan routes for mainland tourists can soon
be up and running," he said.
(Xinhua News Agency April 30, 2007)