China unveils measures to improve ties with Taiwan after visit by opposition leader

China has said it is willing to resume some ties it had suspended with Taiwan, such as direct flights to cities across China, allowing in "healthy" television dramas and facilitating food sales.

It follows a visit by Beijing-friendly Cheng Li-wun, the head of Taiwan's largest opposition party Kuomintang (KMT), who met with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday to discuss the need for peace and reconciliation.

China considers the self-ruled island part of its territory, but Taiwan rejects these sovereignty claims.

Beijing has refused to deal with the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP)-led government under both ⁠Tsai Ing-wen, who was president from 2016 until 2024, and her successor Lai Ching-te, ⁠who is considered a "separatist" in the eyes of China's Communist Party.

This has resulted in Beijing cutting off most of its official dialogue with Taiwan's government in Taipei and launching a show of force by regularly sending military planes and vessels near to the island.

Following the talks between Ms Cheng and Mr Xi, China on Sunday unveiled 10 new incentive measures for Taiwan, according to the Chinese Xinhua news agency.

These included easing tourist curbs. China banned individual trips by Chinese people to Taiwan in 2019, and the island currently requires Chinese visitors to hold a valid resident visa from another country to apply for a visitor visa.

China and Taiwan have blamed each other for the lack of a resumption of large-scale Chinese tourism to the island since the end of the COVID-19 pandemic.

As part of the incentive measures, individuals from Shanghai and Fujian province would be allowed to visit Taiwan again.

Beijing also said it planned to resume direct flights for mainland cities like Xi'an or Urumqi to Taiwan.

It also reiterated plans to construct a bridge to connect China with Matsu and Kinmen, Taiwanese islands that are geographically closer to China than Taiwan.

Another measure is that Taiwanese TV dramas, documentaries and animation would be allowed to be shown as long as they have "correct orientation, healthy content, and high production quality".

A mechanism would also be established to ⁠ease inspection standards for food and fishery ⁠products, but that would have to be done on the political foundation of "opposing Taiwan independence", Xinhua reported.

In 2021, China banned the import of Taiwanese pineapples and later extended the ban to other products including fish, squid, tuna and other fruits. Beijing has since allowed a limited number of individual companies to sell to China.

Read more:
'China is preparing to invade Taiwan'
Is Taiwan ready for Chinese invasion?

The KMT welcomed China's announcement of the planned incentive measures and described it as a "gift" to the people of Taiwan.

But Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council, which is in charge of the island's China policy, said Beijing's "unilateral concessions" were poisoned pills packaged as "generous gift packages".

It is unclear how the measures would be implemented without the approval of the Taiwanese government.

(c) Sky News 2026: China unveils measures to improve ties with Taiwan after visit by opposition leader