Commentary: DPP's continued blocking of cross-Strait tourism squanders mainland goodwill, hurts Taiwan's interests

BEIJING, July 7 (Xinhua) -- By obstructing mainland tourism operators' preparatory visits, Taiwan's Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) once again hindered the long-anticipated resumption of cross-Strait tourism, deliberately blocked people-to-people exchanges, and sacrificed Taiwan's tourism sector for its political agenda.

Chinese mainland residents are unable to travel to the Taiwan island either as individual tourists or in groups because the DPP authorities have unilaterally imposed a comprehensive ban since early 2020, in disregard of relevant cross-Strait agreements.

The mainland is promoting the resumption of individual tours for residents of Shanghai Municipality and Fujian Province to Taiwan, as part of a package of 10 policies and measures announced in April for boosting exchanges and cooperation with Taiwan. Tourism operators in Shanghai and Fujian have since planned to visit the island to reconnect with their counterparts.

However, instead of facilitating such a normal industry exchange, the DPP authorities chose to reject the application, turning a routine professional exchange into a political matter.

Preparatory visits are a purely business practice in the tourism industry. Conducted by tourism operators to make arrangements for matters such as accommodation, tour attractions and reception, they are an essential step toward restoring regular tourism cooperation and carry no political implications whatsoever.

The mainland's efforts to facilitate travel to Taiwan represent a goodwill gesture that is in line with the expectations of people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait and helps ease the challenges faced by Taiwan's tourism industry.

In contrast, the DPP's actions reveal its broader attempt to disrupt closer interactions between people on both sides of the Strait, sever ties between people across the Strait, and create space for the pursuit of the "Taiwan independence" separatist agenda.

Taiwan's tourism industry has remained sluggish in recent years. Scenic spots have seen dwindling visitor numbers, guesthouses have struggled with low occupancy rates, and tour guides as well as small and medium-sized tourism operators have experienced sharp income declines.

The rejection has left many industry practitioners disappointed, while further undermining confidence in both the near-term recovery of Taiwan's tourism industry and its long-term development prospects.

Tourism is not the only sector to bear the consequences of such politicization. Shortly before this, the DPP authorities also misrepresented the mainland's goodwill measures to support cross-Strait agricultural cooperation and turned Taiwan's agricultural products, including atemoya, into a political issue, triggering strong opposition from farmers on the island.

The mainland has made it clear that it opposes using institutional mechanisms as a pretext to obstruct normal exchanges across the Strait.

Cross-Strait tourism exchanges should not be turned into a tool of political confrontation. The DPP authorities' continued politicization of issues related to people's livelihoods has not only harmed the interests of people in Taiwan, but also undermined the prospects for peaceful development across the Strait, running counter to the shared aspirations of people on both sides.

By defying public will, the DPP authorities' political scheming only lays bare their incompetence in safeguarding people's livelihoods, erodes their credibility, and underscores their profound governance failure.