DPP condemned for Taiwan's 'tourism disaster': spokesman

Taiwan's Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities should be blamed for the island's worsening tourism deficit, whose restrictions on cross-Strait travel are crippling the industry, said Chen Binhua, spokesman for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, at a press conference in Beijing on Wednesday.

Amid the sluggish recovery of Taiwan's inbound tourism in the post-epidemic era and the soaring tourism deficit, people from various sectors in Taiwan, particularly the tourism industry, have called on local authorities to resume the entry of mainland travelers to the island as soon as possible.

According to data released by Taiwan's transport authorities on Feb. 24, the island saw approximately 7.86 million inbound travelers last year, reaching only 60 percent of pre-epidemic levels and falling significantly short of the 10 million target set by the authorities.

Meanwhile, the number of outbound travelers in 2024 reached 16.85 million. The nearly nine-million-people gap between inbound and outbound tourists resulted in a trade deficit exceeding 20 billion U.S. dollars for the industry, according to the data.

"We have always adhered to the conviction that people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait are of the same family, and actively promoted cross-Strait tourism exchanges and cooperation. The goodwill and sincerity we have released are obvious to all. In 2023, we announced the resumption of receiving group tours of Taiwan residents to the mainland, and Taiwan residents can travel freely to and from the mainland. In 2024, arrangements were made for mainland residents to travel to Kinmen and Matsu, as well as for group tours to the Taiwan island. In January of this year, we also announced the resumption of group tours for residents of Fujian and Shanghai to Taiwan. In contrast, the DPP authorities have repeatedly obstructed, restricted, and set up barriers to cross-Strait tourism and exchanges in various fields. This is the fundamental reason why Taiwan's tourism industry has become a 'tourism disaster industry'. We deeply sympathize with the difficulties faced by Taiwan's tourism industry and related grassroots people. We understand their calls and demands," said Chen.

DPP condemned for Taiwan's 'tourism disaster': spokesman

DPP condemned for Taiwan's 'tourism disaster': spokesman

Rescue efforts in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar's capital, progressed slowly without professional rescue teams following a deadly earthquake on Friday, with daily life heavily disrupted and nearly all shops and restaurants in the city center closed, according to a Chinese national who survived the disaster.

In an interview with China Global Television Network (CGTN), Li Bobo, chairman of the Myanmar-China Exchange and Cooperation Association, recalled being in a government building in Nay Pyi Taw for a meeting when the earthquake struck, saying the powerful tremor made it impossible for anyone to remain standing.

"I was attending a meeting inside a government building in Nay Pyi Taw when the earthquake hit. It started with vertical shaking, followed by horizontal movement. People couldn't stay on their feet, and it lasted for about two minutes. The roof collapsed, and all the attendees dropped to the floor, unable to stand," he said.

Li said rescue efforts were progressing slowly in the capital.

"I'm now in Zawtika Market, in the city center of Nay Pyi Taw, the busiest area of the capital. I am just passing by and see a corner of a building that has collapsed. It happened about two hours ago, and so far, the pace of rescue efforts is very slow. There are no professional rescue teams, just a few cranes. Nearly all businesses in the city center, including stores and restaurants, are closed. I went out at noon to get something to eat but couldn't find any open shops. Everyone is busy with their own rescue efforts, and almost every household has suffered some kind of loss," he said.

A total of 1,644 people died, 3,408 were injured, and 139 remained missing in the powerful earthquake in Myanmar, according to the Information Team of the State Administration Council on Saturday night.

The 7.7-magnitude earthquake hit the southeast Asian country on Friday, with Mandalay, Bago, Magway, the northeastern Shan state, Sagaing, and Nay Pyi Taw among the hardest-hit regions.

Rescue work progresses slowly in Myanmar capital after earthquake: survivor