This Wednesday, December 17, the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council took aim at Taiwan authorities' latest move to curb cross-strait family visits, calling it a direct attack on kinship ties.
At a routine press conference, a CCTV reporter asked about efforts to amend the "Permit Measures for Civil Servants and Specified Personnel of the Taiwan Area Entering the Mainland," a draft change that would tighten personal travel rules for certain county officials and public servants.
Zhu Fenglian, spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, slammed the amendment as "another nefarious act by the DPP authorities to hinder and harass cross-strait communication." She added that this abuse of power to jeopardize cross-strait kinship will likely face public scorn.
Under the proposed rules, eligibility for family reunions or funerals on the Chinese mainland would shrink from relatives within the fourth degree of kinship to those within the third. High-ranking civil servants and police officials in the Taiwan region would also need to submit travel applications at least seven days before their trip—an extra layer of red tape on personal journeys.
For many families whose roots stretch across the strait, these tighter controls could mean fewer last-minute reunions and more tangled paperwork. With the Lunar New Year approaching, hopes for spontaneous family gatherings may feel more fragile than ever 💔.
As tensions in cross-strait ties simmer, young travelers and diaspora communities will be watching closely. Will public pressure in Taipei prompt a rollback, or will these new rules take effect? Stay tuned for updates! 🔍
Reference(s):
Mainland condemns DPP's scheme to jeopardize cross-strait kinship
cgtn.com
