China complicates visa procedure for foreigners in Taiwan

0 Comments | Asian Political News, June 5, 2000

TAIPEI, May 31 Kyodo

China has tightened visa procedures for foreigners from Taiwan, apparently in a bid to prevent supporters of the banned Falun Gong sect from entering China via the island, business sources told Kyodo News on Wednesday.

While targeting activists, the move causes major inconvenience for Taiwan-based businesspeople who need to travel to China.

Until recently, foreign passport holders were able to apply for a China visa through Taiwan-based travel agencies, which sent the applicant's passport and visa documents to Hong Kong for processing.

Once the visa was issued the traveler simply had to change flights in Hong Kong or Macao to travel to China.

However, since April 17, foreigners living or traveling in Taiwan need to apply for their China visas in Hong Kong, forcing them to make a costly and often time-consuming stopover.

"Effective from April 17, 2000, visas will not be granted to an applicant currently not in Hong Kong SAR," says a notice issued by the consular department of the Hong Kong branch of the Chinese Foreign Ministry on April 13.

Taiwan citizens can still obtain a China visa in Taiwan.

David Juhn, Taipei representative for Germany's Siemens Ltd., said the new policy constitutes a "hindrance" for time-pressed business people.

Juhn, who previously got his China visa through a Taiwanese travel agent, was forced to stay overnight in Hong Kong earlier this month to get a new China visa.

Doris Tsao, in charge of international sales at Bobby Travel Service in Taipei, told Kyodo News she has received complaints from foreign customers who feel the new practice is inconvenient. Tsao said there was also speculation that the measure aimed to boost tourism to Hong Kong.

"Most people will have to spend at least one night in Hong Kong to obtain their visas. This will bring business to Hong Kong hotels," she said.

An official with Taiwan's largest travel agency, Southeast Travel Service, however, said the Chinese side hinted the change was made in connection with Beijing's crackdown on the Falun Gong sect.

"They want to check foreigners more thoroughly," said the official, who would identify himself only as "Mr. Peng."

In recent months a number of Chinese immigrants to the United States who are Falun Gong practitioners have returned to China to organize secret sessions with local believers. Some of these returnees have purposely practiced Falun Gong in public to court arrest and eventually highly publicized deportations.

A spokesman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry's Hong Kong branch contacted by Kyodo News would not say why the visa procedures were changed or how long the new practice would remain in place.

Officials with state-owned Chinese Travel Service in Hong Kong, which handles visa applications, were unwilling to explain the rationale behind the new policy.

Juhn said he had no indication that foreigners were checked more thoroughly by the Chinese side than before. He did not have to appear at the visa office in person nor did he have to answer any additional questions in his visa application.

Juhn, who commissioned a Hong Kong travel agent to complete his visa application, called the new policy "a joke." He said there is "no discernible logic" that would make it plausible why foreigners from Taiwan now must be in Hong Kong when applying for a China visa.

Germany's unofficial mission in Taiwan, the German Institute, has already received several inquiries from business people who were confused about the new policy, according to the institute's Deputy Director Joerg Kyber.