Beijing announced Sunday its intention to restore several connections with Taiwan that had been cut off in recent years, including direct airline service and imports of Taiwan’s seafood products, following the conclusion of a visit by Taiwan’s opposition party leader.
The Taiwan Work Office, operating under China’s Communist Party, released a statement outlining plans to establish ongoing dialogue between the Communist Party and Taiwan’s Kuomingtang Party, while also working to restore imports of Taiwan’s aquaculture industry products that Beijing had prohibited in previous years.
Kuomingtang leader Cheng Li-wun met with Chinese President Xi Jinping in a widely-publicized Friday meeting where both leaders advocated for peaceful relations, though neither provided concrete details. While Taiwan operates as an independent entity, Beijing maintains its claim over the island as Chinese territory.
Tensions between Beijing and Taiwan have escalated significantly since 2016, when Taiwan voters chose Tsai Ing-wen of the Democratic Progressive Party as their president. Following her election, Beijing severed most official communications with Taiwan’s government in Taipei and began regular deployments of military aircraft and naval vessels near the island.
The measures outlined in Sunday’s statement address various connections that Beijing had terminated as bilateral tensions intensified over recent years.
Beijing indicated plans to restore airline service between Taiwan and mainland Chinese cities including Xi’an and Urumqi, though the statement provided no details about implementation timelines.
In 2019, Beijing prohibited individual Chinese citizens from traveling to Taiwan. Current Taiwan regulations require Chinese visitors to possess valid residency documentation from nations such as the United States or European Union countries before applying for visitor permits.
Beijing also expressed interest in moving forward with bridge construction connecting Taiwan’s Matsu and Kinmen islands, which sit geographically closer to mainland China. This infrastructure proposal represents a long-discussed project that Beijing has promoted previously.
Starting with pineapples in 2021, Beijing imposed import restrictions on various Taiwanese agricultural products, eventually expanding the prohibitions to include grouper fish, squid, tuna and additional fruits.
Following the initial grouper restrictions, Taiwan’s Ministry of Agriculture indicated it had contacted Beijing about modifications to meet import standards. Beijing responded with a narrow list of approved companies authorized to sell to China, without providing explanations for the selections.
Taiwan stated it would “continuously assist farmers and businesses in expanding into overseas markets” to reduce dependency risks, according to a Saturday statement from the government.
