Taiwan Introduces Risk Assessment Hotlines for Travelers to China.

Taipei: Taiwan's government has launched a new hotline to assist citizens in evaluating potential safety risks prior to traveling to mainland China, Hong Kong, or Macau, as announced by the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) on Monday. This initiative comes in response to a surge in inquiries from Taiwanese individuals planning trips to these regions. According to Focus Taiwan, the MAC highlighted in a press release that the utilization of the "Online Registration System for Taiwanese Citizens Visiting Mainland China" had seen a 14-fold increase this year through October 31, compared to the same period in 2023. Additionally, there has been a significant rise in registrations for travel to Hong Kong and Macau, which increased five times over the previous year. While Taiwanese citizens are not required to notify their government when traveling to China, the online system is available for those who wish to do so for safety considerations. To further assist with the online registration system and assess potential t ravel risks, the MAC, in collaboration with the Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF), has launched a hotline service. This service is operational on weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., providing travelers with specific contact numbers depending on their destinations. The hotline initiative follows recent amendments by Beijing to its national security laws and the issuance of new legal guidelines on June 21, targeting advocates of Taiwan independence. These developments have been accompanied by reports of Taiwanese citizens being "illegally detained, held and interrogated" on the mainland, as noted by the MAC. In reaction to these concerns, the MAC elevated its travel alert level for mainland China, Hong Kong, and Macau to the second-highest orange alert on June 27, advising Taiwanese citizens to avoid unnecessary travel to these areas due to mounting safety issues.