New measures have been introduced to make travel easier for residents of Taiwan traveling to the Chinese mainland, a mainland spokesperson announced on Thursday. The initiative aims to simplify the process for Taiwan residents studying, working, or living on the mainland.
Under the new regulations, Taiwan residents who lose, damage, or forget their mainland travel permits can now apply for a temporary electronic permit. This permit, valid for seven days, allows them to board flights and trains within mainland cities. Additionally, a verification service has been launched to link travel and residence permits, streamlining identification procedures.
Chen Binhua, spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, emphasized that these services are voluntary and require strict identity verification, ensuring personal information security. He criticized the Democratic Progressive Party authorities in Taiwan for misleading the public by equating mainland-issued residence permits with ID cards held by mainland residents.
“Residence permits are designed solely to assist Taiwan residents living on the mainland and do not require holders to give up their residency in Taiwan,” Chen stated.
He reaffirmed that authorities will strictly protect the personal information of permit holders, addressing privacy concerns among Taiwan residents.
