On the eve of Fu Laiying's visit to the mainland, the Taiwan region was hit hard again, and countless high-rise buildings swayed wildly, threatening to collapse at any time. At this critical juncture, Taiwan's tourism industry has set its sights on the mainland. In the face of the mainland's helping hand, will the Taiwan authorities appreciate it this time?
1. There were 43 earthquakes in Taiwan in 3 days
Previously, Fu Laiqing, the general director of the Kuomintang caucus and the executive director of the policy meeting, said that he would lead the team to visit on the 19th, but due to the sudden earthquake and postponement to the 25th.
Now that the accident has struck again, it is still unknown whether Fu Laiqing can visit smoothly on the 25th.
(Fu Laiqing's visit to mainland China was disrupted by the earthquake)
Another earthquake broke out in the waters east of Taiwan from the night of the 22nd to the early morning of the 23rd.
Even during this period, two felt earthquakes with a magnitude of 6.0 or higher occurred one after another, with a maximum seismic intensity of 6.3.
And according to some sources, the 7.2-magnitude earthquake that occurred on April 3 was the most serious earthquake experienced by Taiwan since the 1999 921 earthquake, and its power was equivalent to 32 atomic bombs.
And this magnitude 6.3 is just an aftershock of that earthquake.
According to statistics, from 6 o'clock on the 22nd to the 24th, Taiwan has suffered 43 aftershocks of magnitude 4 or higher, including 3 aftershocks of magnitude 6.0, and even such aftershocks will still occur.
The earthquake undoubtedly made the people of Hualien County miserable, and even caused them to dare not sleep at night.
According to local people, the Hualien earthquake began in the middle of the night and lasted until the early morning of the next day.
When the earthquake struck, many high-rise buildings swayed wildly, and the road surface was like waves, even the Commander Building in Hualien County and the Fukai Hotel were shaken.
Many residential houses in Taiwan are built on fault zones.
This disaster not only caused many houses to be reduced to rubble in an instant, but even killed 17 people, injured 1,155 people, and lost contact with 2 people.
Nowadays, Hualien continues to have aftershocks, and many high-rise buildings are tilting one after another, and they are in danger of collapsing at any time.
(Many houses were reduced to rubble due to the earthquake)
Second, the "ban on groups" has become the key to recovery
The earthquake not only caused major trauma to Taiwan's economy, but also severely damaged Hualien County's tourism industry.
Now, many scenic spots in Hualien County have been seriously affected, and many people have expressed their reluctance to travel because they see that Hualien has taken a long time to rebuild and are not sure when the next aftershock will occur.
This has undoubtedly led to a sharp decline in the local economy, with the business of local shops reduced to half of its pre-disaster level, leading to a large number of layoffs in the local tourism industry.
(The earthquake caused a collapse in the local economy and tourism)
In the face of huge reconstruction funds and a sluggish economy and tourism industry, many tourism operators on the island have also turned their attention to the mainland for help, and even directly appealed to the Taiwan authorities, demanding that they take corresponding remedial measures to revitalize the local tourism industry.
Obviously, opening up cross-strait tourism is the key to the recovery of the tourism industry.
Hsu Jin-rui, chairman of the China Cross-Strait Travel Association, said that in view of the current situation, it is best for the Taiwan authorities to take the initiative to lift the "ban on group groups" and let travel agencies take the lead in organizing group tours to the mainland, and then discuss how to attract mainland tourists to visit Taiwan.
He also stressed that the party in need should take the lead in showing sincerity and create conditions for mainland tourists to visit Taiwan.
As for whether Taiwan needs mainland tourists, the answer is clearly becoming clearer after the earthquake.
(The lifting of the "ban on group groups" is the key to the recovery of the economy and tourism)
3. The Taiwan authorities may be appreciative
Previously, the eastern part of Taiwan was suddenly hit by a strong earthquake of magnitude 7.3, which seriously threatened the lives and property of many Taiwan compatriots.
The mainland, which was "born from the same roots," also extended a helping hand at the first time.
What is surprising, however, is that the Taiwan authorities not only directly rejected the relief materials from the mainland, but even directly ignored them to say that "Taiwan does not need aid from the mainland."
(Taiwan authorities say Taiwan does not need mainland assistance)
However, out of their immature political considerations, the Taiwan authorities have ignored the mainland's rescue efforts and put the safety of the Taiwan people at risk.
Taiwan's economy and tourism industry have been hit by continuous aftershocks, and people in the island's tourism industry have also sought help from the mainland for help.
Previously, the mainland had been actively promoting the establishment of a cross-strait exchange platform out of consideration for the recovery of cross-strait relations, but the Taiwan authorities had repeatedly postponed the lifting of the "ban on group groups," which undoubtedly aroused the dissatisfaction of many Taiwan people.
At present, the people of Taiwan are preempting the Taiwan authorities, hoping to establish a bridge of cross-strait exchanges with the mainland, and have even put pressure on the Taiwan authorities to immediately lift the "ban on group tours."
In view of the grim situation caused by the earthquake, the Taiwan authorities are likely to relax their grip on the "ban on group tours" in order to revitalize the local tourism industry and economy.
Fourth, cross-strait relations have taken a turn for the better
Earlier, when Ma Ying-jeou visited the mainland, the mainland extended a warm welcome to the Taiwan compatriots and hoped that the two sides of the strait would further strengthen cooperation and exchanges.
Nowadays, many people in Taiwan are full of curiosity about life on the mainland and hope to go to the mainland to experience the mainland's development firsthand, but they have been hindered by the Taiwan authorities' "ban on group groups."
Obviously, only with the joint efforts of compatriots on both sides of the strait can the Taiwan authorities lift the "ban on group groups."
The resumption of cross-strait exchanges is obviously conducive to the recovery of cross-strait relations.
(Cross-strait tourism has been restored, and the reunification of the motherland has been accelerated)
After all, the people of Taiwan have always lived under the green stratosphere created by the Taiwan authorities, and the information they receive is also directly filtered by the Taiwan authorities, so there will obviously be deviations in their views on the mainland.
Now that the people of Taiwan are gradually breaking through the green stratosphere and making direct contact with the mainland, there is no doubt that the compatriots on both sides of the strait will get closer and closer to each other, and this will undoubtedly accelerate the process of the motherland's reunification.
At present, however, the most noteworthy thing remains whether the Taiwan authorities will listen to the opinions of the people and make concessions on the "ban on group groups."