TAIWAN opened a tourism office in Beijing yesterday - the island's first official presence on the Chinese mainland since the two sides split amid civil war in 1949.
The Chinese mainland will open a counterpart office in Taipei later this week as part of reciprocal steps aimed at opening up tourism links between the two.
Since taking office in 2008, Taiwan leader Ma Ying-jeou has actively promoted ties with the mainland.
"The purpose is to introduce Taiwan's scenery and landscapes to mainland people, and promote mutual understanding and interaction between the sides through tourism. That's the most important goal," said Yang Ruizong, head of the Taiwan Strait Tourism Association office in Beijing.
Yang is the first senior Taiwanese official to be based in Beijing, a key milestone in bilateral ties in decades, while cross-Strait relations are at their warmest in years under Ma's tenure.
Since Ma was elected, the sides have resumed high-level dialogue, set up regular direct transport links and allowed a greater number of mainland tourists to visit in the hope of boosting Taiwan's economy.
Better relations
On Friday, the mainland's Cross-Strait Tourism Exchange Association will open its office in Taiwan.
The two offices will also work informally to help tourists with any problems they might have.
"We'll work to help travelers who come upon difficulties or need assistance," Yang said, though he added that the office does not issue visas.
"This is an important development in cross-Strait relations," said Vice Mainland Affairs Council Chairman Chao Chien-min, speaking from Taiwan.
"The opening of the semiofficial office shows that cross-Strait exchanges are being gradually institutionalized and now the government can help Taiwan travelers on the mainland to handle problems that come up during their trips."
Taiwan began allowing mainland tourists to visit as part of group tours in July 2008, while Taiwan people have been coming to do business on the mainland for years.
Since 2008, Taiwan has received about 1 million mainland visitors, while about 4 million Taiwanese visit the mainland each year.