MAC: Lifting Group Travel Ban to China Requires Ensuring Citizens' Personal Safety First
Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) emphasized that lifting the ban on group tours to China requires first ensuring the personal safety of Taiwanese citizens. Recent travel accidents and China's stricter national security laws have increased travel risks.
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- 📰 Published: April 27, 2026 at 21:46
- 🔍 Collected: April 27, 2026 at 22:02 (16 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 28, 2026 at 02:55 (4h 53m after Collected)
Taipei, April 27 (CNA) — A tour bus accident occurred in Gansu on the 24th, resulting in 1 death and 12 injuries, drawing criticism from the public regarding the formalization of the "group travel ban" to China. The Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) stated today that travel to China is currently under a "orange" alert, and group tours by travel agencies can only be allowed under the premise that the personal freedom and travel safety of Taiwanese citizens traveling to China can be ensured.
After the Civil Aviation Administration of China unilaterally changed the M503 flight route starting February 1, 2024, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications' Tourism Bureau announced on February 7 of the same year that it would immediately suspend soliciting group tours to China. However, media criticized that in order to circumvent regulations, "deformed tours" emerged, and pointed out that such operations actually weakened passenger protection.
Regarding the controversy caused by the "group travel ban," the MAC issued a press release tonight explaining that the incident in Gansu on the evening of the 24th was a pure travel accident. Although the group was self-organized by passengers' relatives and friends, the operating travel agency provided insurance as required and assigned a tour leader to accompany them. There was no situation where passengers' rights were affected or protection weakened just because it was not a group organized by a travel agency.
As for whether to lift the "group travel ban" and allow travel agencies to organize tours to China, the MAC reiterated that the government has repeatedly explained its policy stance. Under the current "orange" alert for travel to China, it can only be opened when the personal freedom and travel safety of Taiwanese citizens traveling to China can be ensured.
MAC stated that the main reason the group travel ban cannot be lifted is that in recent years, the Chinese Communist Party has continuously amended and strengthened national security laws, and on June 21, 2024, further issued "22 Opinions on Punishing Separatism," and encouraged reporting, which seriously threatens the personal safety of Taiwanese citizens traveling to China, Hong Kong, and Macau.
From January 1, 2024, to March 31, 2026, relevant authorities received reports of 330 cases of Taiwanese citizens traveling to China who went missing, were detained for questioning, or whose personal freedom was suspected of being restricted. Compared with the previous month (January 1, 2024, to February 28, 2026), 17 new cases were added in one month. In view of the persistently high risks of traveling to China, the government once again reminds citizens to consider the risks and avoid unnecessary travel. (Editor: Chiu Kuo-chiang) 1150427
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After the Civil Aviation Administration of China unilaterally changed the M503 flight route starting February 1, 2024, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications' Tourism Bureau announced on February 7 of the same year that it would immediately suspend soliciting group tours to China. However, media criticized that in order to circumvent regulations, "deformed tours" emerged, and pointed out that such operations actually weakened passenger protection.
Regarding the controversy caused by the "group travel ban," the MAC issued a press release tonight explaining that the incident in Gansu on the evening of the 24th was a pure travel accident. Although the group was self-organized by passengers' relatives and friends, the operating travel agency provided insurance as required and assigned a tour leader to accompany them. There was no situation where passengers' rights were affected or protection weakened just because it was not a group organized by a travel agency.
As for whether to lift the "group travel ban" and allow travel agencies to organize tours to China, the MAC reiterated that the government has repeatedly explained its policy stance. Under the current "orange" alert for travel to China, it can only be opened when the personal freedom and travel safety of Taiwanese citizens traveling to China can be ensured.
MAC stated that the main reason the group travel ban cannot be lifted is that in recent years, the Chinese Communist Party has continuously amended and strengthened national security laws, and on June 21, 2024, further issued "22 Opinions on Punishing Separatism," and encouraged reporting, which seriously threatens the personal safety of Taiwanese citizens traveling to China, Hong Kong, and Macau.
From January 1, 2024, to March 31, 2026, relevant authorities received reports of 330 cases of Taiwanese citizens traveling to China who went missing, were detained for questioning, or whose personal freedom was suspected of being restricted. Compared with the previous month (January 1, 2024, to February 28, 2026), 17 new cases were added in one month. In view of the persistently high risks of traveling to China, the government once again reminds citizens to consider the risks and avoid unnecessary travel. (Editor: Chiu Kuo-chiang) 1150427
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Text, images, and videos on this website may not be reproduced, publicly broadcast, or publicly transmitted and utilized without authorization.