Taipei:Taiwanese citizens made 2.492 million trips to China in the first eight months of this year, marking a 19.63 percent increase from the previous year. This rise occurred despite the Taiwanese government's continued orange travel warning for China, Hong Kong, and Macau.
According to Focus Taiwan, China ranks as the second most popular overseas destination for Taiwanese travelers after Japan. Since March, monthly trips to China have consistently exceeded 300,000, with March itself experiencing the largest year-on-year increase at 32.34 percent. The orange warning, in place since June 27, 2024, is the second-highest level in Taiwan's travel advisory system, advising against nonessential travel.
The Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) attributes this increase in travel to broader outbound travel growth, which rose 15.24 percent year-on-year, aided by Taiwan's economic growth and rising stock prices. These factors have increased residents' wealth and willingness to travel abroad.
The MAC advises travelers to China to carefully evaluate risks and stay informed about safety updates, given changes to China's national security laws and entry-exit regulations. Huang Cheng-tsung, an associate professor at Providence University, noted that the rise in travel aligns with overall outbound travel growth, with business trips possibly contributing to the numbers.
Hung Pu-chao from the University of Taipei highlighted that while some travelers may base their risk assessments on previous trouble-free visits, these do not guarantee future safety. He pointed to incidents where Taiwanese have been detained or had restrictions placed on their movements in China. Hung emphasized the need for better communication of travel risks by the government, advocating for tailored information based on travelers' backgrounds and trip purposes, along with guidance for those who might face questioning or travel restrictions.
