China news agency, Beijing, May 12: "The olive branch has thorns"? The DPP authorities need to grasp the "window of goodwill" of the mainland
China News Agency reporter Rong Haisheng
The "May Day" holiday just passed, with a large number of people all over the mainland, the tourism market ushered in a strong recovery. The lively scene also makes the tourists on the other side of the strait look at the sea and sigh. Recovery announced at the end of April from the mainland Fujian It has been more than ten days since residents went to Mazu for tourism. The DPP authorities who claimed that "olive branches have thorns" should grasp the "window of goodwill", remove the obstacles as soon as possible, and promote both sides Tourism returned to normal.
On April 28, during the exchange of public opinion representatives of the Chinese Kuomintang in Beijing, many departments in the mainland announced favorable policies on the resumption of cross-strait tourism, Taiwan's agricultural and fishery products import, etc., which was praised by the industry in the island as a sincere move to respond to public opinion in a timely manner. Ordinary people are also impressed by this. After Fujian launched the "Fuma Tongcheng Pass" card, Mazu villagers went to apply for it, and they used to need to exchange RMB Fuzhou For consumption, as long as the value is stored, the card can go unimpeded and truly implement the "one day life circle".
Tourism and personnel exchanges across the Straits have returned to normal Taiwan All kinds of jobs are needed for livelihood. Since the official launch of mainland residents' tourism to Taiwan in 2008, and the cross-strait tourism has entered the stage of "two-way travel", mainland tourists have come to Taiwan in an endless stream, which has become an important driving force for Taiwan's tourism economic growth. Today, most of Taiwan's nearly 4000 tourists are directly or indirectly engaged in business with the mainland. As the most important market of Taiwan's tourism industry, the goodwill released by the mainland this time really brings the dawn of "a long drought meets a rainy day" to Taiwan's industry that is experiencing bottlenecks.
At the same time, tourism is an industry that promotes peace across the Taiwan Straits. The understanding and friendship accumulated by people on both sides of the Straits through face-to-face exchanges are irreplaceable, and are particularly important for peace and stability across the Taiwan Straits. Taiwan media once commented that perhaps the resumption of tourism could not resolve the fundamental crux of current cross-strait relations, but the increase in personnel exchanges between the two sides could enhance mutual understanding and reduce unnecessary hostility.
However, the DPP authorities, who are accustomed to putting the private interests of political parties above industrial development, have repeatedly ignored the voice of front-line workers, ignored the demands of the people, and lacked the sincerity to ease cross-strait relations.
In 2016, the number of mainland residents visiting Taiwan declined for the first time in eight years. The reason is that the Democratic Progressive Party authorities changed the mainland policy after taking office, damaged the atmosphere of cross-strait exchanges, and affected people's willingness to visit Taiwan; In recent years, the Taiwan authorities, in the name of epidemic prevention, have unilaterally and comprehensively prohibited mainland residents from visiting Taiwan, and also prohibited island travel agencies from operating group tours to the mainland; After the transition of epidemic prevention and control, the mainland frequently sent positive signals to promote the restart of cross-strait tourism. The tourists in the island looked forward to it and hoped that the authorities would take practical measures to solve practical problems. Unexpectedly, the "ban on Taiwan group tourists going to the mainland will be suspended from June 1" made passengers and operators unprepared and disappointed.
Now, the mainland has pressed the "ice breaking signal light" to resume cross-strait tourism exchanges, and the DPP authorities are still vague about lifting the "ban on group travel", and it is really insincere and hard to find goodwill to label "Fuma Tongcheng Tongtong" as "the tool of the Communist Party of China's united front".
"When you reach the foot of the mountain in front of you, all streams flow out of the front village". The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities cannot stop the trend of peace and people to people exchanges between the two sides of the Taiwan Straits. As Zuo Zhengdong, a professor in the Department of Political Science of Taiwan University, said, only a positive response from the authorities can create a virtuous circle, and the earlier these works are done, the better.
