Taipei: Taiwan does not prohibit visits to its outlying islands of Kinmen and Matsu by residents of Shanghai, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) in Taipei confirmed.

According to Focus Taiwan, the MAC emphasized that any travel restrictions over the past six years were imposed by China, not Taiwan.

The MAC clarified that under current Taiwanese regulations, there are no provisions preventing Shanghai residents from traveling to these islands. However, they must first travel to China's Fujian Province and then use the 'mini three links' ferry services to reach Kinmen and Matsu. This comes after Chinese authorities announced plans to resume such trips following a six-year suspension.

China halted independent travel to Taiwan in August 2019, citing poor cross-strait relations, and suspended group travel to Taiwan and other countries in early 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2024, China eased restrictions for Fujian residents visiting Kinmen and Matsu, but travel for other regions remained restricted.

On Wednesday, the MAC reiterated that Taiwan does not impose any travel prohibitions on these islands for residents of Fujian or other parts of China. The council highlighted that the existing obstacles to cross-strait tourism were a result of Beijing's policies.

Chinese nationals residing or studying in a third country can apply for permission to visit Taiwan proper and the Penghu islands, according to Taiwan's regulations. China's Ministry of Culture and Tourism announced preparations to resume trips by Shanghai residents to Kinmen and Matsu, aiming to normalize cross-strait travel and meet public expectations.

This announcement followed a forum in Beijing attended by Taiwan's opposition Kuomintang (KMT) and hosted by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), where a proposal to resume group tours by Fujian and Shanghai residents was discussed as part of shared recommendations.