Taiwan News
Date: 2015-10-06
By: Matthew Strong, Taiwan News, Staff Writer

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – China wanted to cut the number of Chinese tourists visiting Taiwan in the run-up to the January 16 elections, unconfirmed reports said Tuesday.

Both the size of the cuts and the reason for the unexpected decision differed according to the media offering the reports.

The most alarmist version had the Taiwan Affairs Office, China’s ministry for relations with Taiwan, seeking a cutback of 95 percent in the number of Chinese tourists visiting the island.

Another report had China targeting a 50-percent reduction for the period from December 16 to January 15, or the final month before the presidential and legislative elections.

The motives for China’s government suddenly wanting a sharp drop in the number of its citizens traveling to Taiwan also were varied, depending on the media reports.     [FULL  STORY]