Taiwanese President William Lai said he hopes for healthy and orderly exchanges with China based on the principles of reciprocity and dignity, but questioned whether Beijing has the goodwill for this, Reuters reported, quoted by BTA.
China views democratically ruled Taiwan as its territory and considers Lai a separatist. Lai, for his part, says that only the Taiwanese people can decide their future.
The Taiwanese president said at a news conference on the first day of the new year that China is blocking normal cooperation by imposing restrictions on Chinese tourists visiting the island, as well as on students studying in Taiwan. Such measures do not apply to Taiwanese going to China, Lai said.
"But I still want to emphasize this: Taiwan hopes to have healthy and orderly exchanges with China based on the principles of reciprocity and dignity," he stressed.
Journalists should ask China why its citizens can travel freely to countries like the United States and Japan, but Taiwan is subject to such controls, the Taiwanese leader added. "Is this really a gesture of goodwill towards Taiwan? Can't they treat everyone equally," Lai added.
Taiwan and China have repeatedly traded accusations over tourism and travel restrictions, Reuters noted. In June, Taiwan urged its citizens not to visit China unless absolutely necessary after Beijing threatened to execute individuals deemed "hardliners" supporters of the island's independence.
In his New Year's speech on Tuesday, Chinese President Xi Jinping said that no one can prevent the reunification of China.