Taiwanese Trips to China Jump Nearly 20% Despite Ongoing Travel Warning

According to the Tourism Administration, Taiwanese citizens took 2.492 million trips to mainland China during the first eight months of this year, marking a 19.63% increase over the same period last year. China remains the second-most popular overseas destination for Taiwanese after Japan, and monthly visitor numbers have consistently exceeded 300,000 since March, when the year-on-year growth peaked at 32.34%. The orange travel warning, the second-highest level in Taiwan’s advisory system, has been maintained since June 2024, advising against nonessential travel to China, Hong Kong and Macau.

The Mainland Affairs Council attributes the overall rise in outbound travel, which grew 15.24% year-on-year, to Taiwan’s economic expansion and rising stock market wealth. Experts from Providence University and the University of Taipei suggest that business trips and familiarity from previous visits contribute to the trend, but caution that recent changes to China’s security laws could pose new risks. They call for more targeted guidance to help travelers assess dangers and obtain assistance if detained.