BEIJING, Jan. 17 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese mainland will soon resume group tour services to Taiwan for residents of Fujian Province and Shanghai Municipality, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism said on Friday.
The move aims to restore normal interactions between people across the Taiwan Strait and facilitate their regular exchanges in various fields, the ministry stated in an announcement released on its official website.
This initiative is also to address the high expectations of the public and the tourism industry in Taiwan and enhance the well-being of people across the Strait, the ministry added.
Preparations for the resumption are well underway, the ministry revealed, while expressing the hope that tourism industries on both sides of the Strait would strengthen communication to provide quality services and products for mainland tour groups to Taiwan.
The State Council Taiwan Affairs Office on Friday said the move responds to Taiwan compatriots' appeals for peace, development, exchanges and cooperation.
Chen Binhua, the office's spokesperson, said the mainland has always supported and promoted normal interactions and exchanges across the Strait, in seeking to enhance the well-being of compatriots in Taiwan.
Chen voiced his hope that the Democratic Progressive Party authorities in Taiwan would consider mainstream public opinion and concerns on the island.
He urged them to lift the ban on group tour services at an early date, remove travel warnings for visits to the mainland, and fully restore direct transport services to all previously designated destinations for cross-Strait travelers. ■
