The Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) announced that the travel warning for China, Hong Kong, and Macau has been raised to an orange alert this Thursday, signaling to the public that non-essential travel should be avoided. While it comes after Beijing’s recent announcement of punishments directed at Taiwanese independence advocates—the most severe of which is the death sentence—the MAC clarified that the decision was not made in response to those measurements.
In an interview with the Legislature this Friday, DPP Legislator Puma Shen (沈伯洋) supported the decision, stating that traveling to China has become riskier and pointing out that travel to any country that has an extradition treaty with China may be risky as well.
Regarding KMT Legislator Lai Shyh-bao’s (賴士葆) questions about how long the government intends to maintain the orange alert, Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) responded by saying that it all depends on China’s attitude moving forward. Lai also questioned whether or not the government is gradually moving Taiwan towards independence, which Cho sternly denied.
KMT Legislator Lo Chih-chiang (羅智強) criticized the DPP for neglecting to acknowledge the effects that raising the travel alert level will have, and criticized President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) for intensifying Sinophobia as a way of staying in power.
The elevated travel alert also coincides with new rules regarding police authority to check personal devices in China. Beginning July 1, China’s state security police will be given the ability to search electronic devices including phones and laptops without a warrant. The new measure does not restrict the checks to Chinese citizens, meaning foreign nationals could be subject to inspections as well.
Premier Cho emphasized that the orange alert is put in place to protect the personal safety of Taiwanese citizens traveling to China, and that he hopes both parties will allow for peaceful and rational communication.