Taiwan Protests Laos’ Visa Policy for Chinese Tourists

Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) has raised concerns over a new visa-waiver program announced by the Laos government. The program, which starts on July 1 and ends on December 31, allows Chinese tourists, including those from Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan, to visit Laos visa-free for up to 15 days as part of a group tour.

According to Taiwan’s MoFA, the policy gives a false impression that Taiwan is part of China, which undermines Taiwan’s sovereignty. Taiwan has communicated its position to the Laos government through its representative office in Vietnam.

Despite the new policy, Taiwanese tourists still need to obtain an electronic or on-arrival visa to travel to Laos. Taiwan’s MoFA emphasized that there has been no change to the current visa requirements for Taiwanese tourists.

Taiwan, officially known as the Republic of China, has long been a contentious issue in China’s foreign policy, with Beijing considering the island as its territory.