China has announced the suspension of individual travel permits to Taiwan citing the current state of ties with the self-governed island.
The move on Wednesday halts a program that allowed Chinese citizens in 47 mainland cities, such as Beijing, Shanghai and Xiamen, to apply for permits to visit Taiwan on their own instead of group tours.
China’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism said such trips would be suspended from August 1 “due to current cross-strait relations”.
Relations between Beijing and Taipei have plummeted since President Tsai Ing-wen came to power in 2016 because her party refuses to recognise the idea that Taiwan is part of “one China”.
Taiwan President called this ban a “major strategic mistake” amid heightened tension with giant neighbor China.
