Tour groups visiting China call for a halt; former Taiwan President calls for cross-strait dialogue to resolve issue

Taipei [Taiwan], February 18 (ANI/CNA): Taiwan's former President Ma Ying-jeou called for a halt to tour groups travelling to China and called for cross-strait dialogue to resolve the issue.
The Ministry of Transport announced before the Lunar New Year that it would stop soliciting tour groups to China.
Former President Ma Ying-jeou said today that cross-strait relations are very important to Taiwan, but the Democratic Progressive Party government does not dialogue with mainland China. Opening up for tourism is not a big deal, it can be resolved through dialogue between the two parties as soon as possible.
The Tourism Administration of the Ministry of Transport announced on February 7 that since China has not made arrangements for mainland tourist groups to come to Taiwan and recently announced a unilateral change in the operation mode of the M503 route, it will stop soliciting tour groups to mainland China from now on.
Ma Ying-jeou went to Zhennan Palace today to pay homage and distribute Spring Festival couplets. Regarding the ban on soliciting tour groups to China, Ma Ying-jeou said in a joint interview with the media that he found the most strange thing about the DPP government to be that cross-strait relations are so important to Taiwan, but the DPP government does not dialogue with mainland China.
Ma Ying-jeou pointed out that opening up tourism is really not a big deal, and the two sides can resolve it through dialogue as soon as possible.
This has a great impact on the people of Taiwan and the tourism industry. Why has there been no movement for so long? Changes should be made as soon as possible, he said. (ANI/CNA)