Taiwan News
Date: 2016-10-02
By: George Liao, Taiwan News, Staff Writer
In response to a question on Sunday with regard to Chinese travel agencies’ tour packages that include 
KMT-ruled cities and counties in Taiwan and skip Democratic Progressive Party-ruled counterparts, Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je said “I don’t believe Chinese tourists come to Taiwan by parachutes.”
After eight years of pro-China policy adopted by the Ma Ying-jeou administration from 2008 to 2016, KMT has been regarded as a pro-China party in Taiwan. Since the transition of power on May 20, the government led by the DPP, which had not recognized the “1992 Consensus,” a political synonym of the One China principle, China has used its widespread political and economic influence to boycott Taiwan.
About two weeks ago, eight city and county chiefs from Taiwan, who are KMT members, formed a delegation and met with Chinese authorities to promote tourism for their respective cities and counties. As a result, many Chinese travel agencies have rolled out “blue city and county tours” around Taiwan, packages that only include destinations in cities and counties ruled by the KMT and skip those ruled by the DPP. Some Chinese tour operators even spelled out the appeal of the tours as to promote the “1992 Consensus.” [FULL STORY]
