Beijing hopes Taiwan will deal appropriately with the case of
missing mainland tourists in the island and take action to crack
down on organized human smuggling.
The mainland blamed Taiwan's tourism policy towards mainlanders
for the disappearance, said Xue Guifeng, a senior official from the
China National Tourism Administration Thursday in Beijing.
Taiwan media reported that the 17 mainland tourists arrived in
Taiwan from Fujian Province after having passed through
Thailand.
The group failed to report to the travel agency responsible for
meeting the group on July 13.
Taiwan media reported the group was made up of 13 men and four
women, all of whom are middle-aged.
Taiwan allows only mainlanders living, studying, working or
traveling overseas to visit the island in tour groups.
"The practice has provided opportunities for snakehead groups to
undertake illegal activities across the Taiwan Straits," said
Xue.
"We are greatly concerned about the July 13 case because it
involves the security and practical interests of 17 mainland
people," he added.
He urged Taiwan authorities to take measures to crack down on
snakeheads who organize human smuggling operations, lift various
barriers restricting mainlanders from touring Taiwan and prevent
similar cases from happening again.
The Beijing-based Taiwan Affairs Office earlier urged Taipei to
open the island to mainland tourists.
Beijing opened the mainland to Taiwan tourists as early as
1987.
Taiwan travelers paid more than 3.66 million visits to the
mainland in 2002 and 2.73 million last year, according to official
statistics.
In contrast, less than 30,000 people from the mainland visited
Taiwan last year because of Taipei's restrictions.
(China Daily July 23, 2004)