China offers TV, food and flights to win over Taiwanese

Following the visit of the island’s opposition leader, China announced 10 new incentive measures for Taiwan, including easing tourist restrictions, allowing the broadcast of television series deemed ‘healthy’ and facilitating food sales.

The move came at the end of a trip to China by Cheng Li-wun, head of Taiwan’s largest opposition party, the Kuomintang (KMT). He met with Chinese President Xi Jinping and spoke about the need for peace and reconciliation.

The 10 measures announced by the official Xinhua news agency include establishing a regular communication mechanism between the KMT and the Communist Party of China, fully resuming flights between the two sides, and allowing individuals from Shanghai and Fujian province to visit Taiwan.

A mechanism to facilitate inspection standards for food and fisheries products will be established, but this should be on the political basis of “opposing Taiwan’s independence”, Xinhua said.

It was also stated that Taiwanese television series, documentaries and animations will be allowed to be shown as long as they have “correct direction, wholesome content and high production quality”.

There was no immediate reaction from the Taiwanese government.

China refuses to talk to Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te, saying he is a “separatist”. It rejects Beijing’s claims to sovereignty over the democratically governed island.

China and Taiwan have blamed each other for the failure to restart large-scale Chinese tourism to the island since the end of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Taiwan has also previously complained about China’s restrictions on imports of some agricultural and aquatic products, saying China has used unfair excuses in some cases to stop the spread of pests and diseases.