Kinmen: Kinmen County Deputy Magistrate Lee Wen-liang on Wednesday welcomed news that Shanghai authorities will allow residents to travel to Kinmen and Matsu. Lee expressed the county government's readiness to make necessary preparations, coordinating with its Tourism Department and local travel agencies, pending approval from the central government.

According to Focus Taiwan, the Shanghai Municipal Administration of Culture and Tourism announced that Shanghai residents can now sign up for group or individual trips to Kinmen and Matsu through qualified travel agencies in Shanghai and Fujian, in line with related regulations. This development is part of China's Ministry of Culture and Tourism's plan to reopen travel to the offshore islands, announced in February after Taiwan's main opposition Kuomintang (KMT) attended a Beijing forum hosted by the Chinese Communist Party.

Lee noted that Kinmen offers a variety of attractions, from southern Fujian-style architecture and military heritage to overseas Chinese culture and ecological sites, which can be organized into themed travel itineraries. He also expressed hope that the policy would eventually expand to include travelers from nearby provinces such as Jiangsu and Guangdong, further benefiting the tourism sector.

Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council previously stated that normalized cross-strait tourism must be free of political preconditions and emphasized the need for concrete measures from the Chinese side before formulating a response. Lee's welcoming stance indicates a positive outlook for increased tourism and cultural exchange, reinforcing Kinmen's appeal to travelers from across China.