Taipei: The number of trips made by Taiwanese travelers to China increased by 16.86 percent year-on-year in 2025, although the figures remain approximately 20 percent below the pre-pandemic levels, as per the data released by Taiwan’s Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC). A total of 3.24 million visits to China were recorded last year. Despite this increase, the number of visits was still 19.94 percent lower than in 2019, before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to Focus Taiwan, Huang Cheng-tsung, an associate professor in the Department of Tourism at Providence University, highlighted that while travel to China improved in 2025 compared to the previous year, it has not yet returned to pre-pandemic volumes. Huang pointed out that the gap is largely due to cooling cross-strait relations, Taiwan’s ongoing ban on group tours to China, and a stronger preference for travel to other destinations like Japan and South Korea.

Travel advisories have also played a significant role in influencing travel decisions. Travel to China has been under an “orange” alert since June 27, 2024. At this level, Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council advises the public to avoid non-essential travel. This alert was heightened after Beijing issued a 22-point set of guidelines targeting individuals labeled as “Taiwan independence separatists,” which Taiwan warned could endanger the personal safety of Taiwanese nationals visiting China.

Taiwan’s travel advisory system for China is categorized into four levels: gray (reminder), yellow (exercise caution), orange (avoid non-essential travel), and red (do not travel), providing clear guidance for travelers considering trips to China.