{"id":24809,"date":"2024-12-11T01:36:37","date_gmt":"2024-12-10T17:36:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/varsity.com.cuhk.edu.hk\/?p=24809"},"modified":"2024-12-27T00:53:44","modified_gmt":"2024-12-26T16:53:44","slug":"falling-in-love-with-taiwan","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/varsity.com.cuhk.edu.hk\/index.php\/2024\/12\/falling-in-love-with-taiwan\/","title":{"rendered":"Falling in Love with Taiwan"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Mainland students living in Hong Kong enjoy travelling to Taiwan after a visa policy change.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

By Bliss Zhu<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Studying in Hong Kong, university student Xie Guofan from Sichuan went to Taiwan this year for the first time in her life, as she takes advantage of a policy change which allows mainland Chinese staying in the city to apply for travel permits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cTaiwan is very nice. The food and sightseeing are amazing. People there are very kind and welcoming,\u201d Xie says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI felt surprised that a ticket agent rushed to help me when I was trying to buy a bus ticket at the airport. The staff helped me even though I didn’t ask for it. I felt so grateful. Without her help, I would have bought a wrong ticket,\u201d she recalls.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMy homestay host in Hualien was also very nice. Knowing that we are mainlanders coming to Taiwan for the first time, he gave us travel tips about restaurants and some fun attractions including Qi Xing Tan and Taroko National Park,\u201d the year three student says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDespite the political tension between Taiwan and Beijing, I don\u2019t think the relationship between Taiwanese and mainland Chinese is affected at all,\u201d she adds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Xie Guofan was chasing dolphins in Hualien. (Photo courtesy of Xie Guofan)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Mainland travellers used to take up around a quarter of about 11 million visitors to Taiwan in 2018 counting for the biggest group until a solo travel scheme was suspended due to cross-strait tensions in 2019. Group travel was suspended because of COVID-19 in 2020.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Under the current policy which was introduced on September 1, 2023, mainland Chinese living in a third country or region are eligible to apply for a permit to visit Taiwan. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Visas allowing one-time entry or multiple entries are available for application and cost NT $600 (US $18.47) and NT $1000 (US $30.78) respectively.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI find many posts about permit applications to Taiwan on social media platforms such as Xiaohongshu (The Little Red Book). I regret not applying for a visa for multiple entries, as I want to visit Taiwan again,\u201d Xie says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another student Li Yixuan, from the Chinese University of Hong Kong, went to Taiwan for the second time in September 2024. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The student from Beijing shares that she falls in love with Taipei after first visiting the city in March.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI wish I could live there for the rest of my life if I have enough money. The living pace is very slow, and I enjoy walking in the streets. There are many old streets, where you can find a lot of museums and old bookshops,\u201d the Mathematics and Internet Engineering major student says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Taiwanese are very thoughtful and caring, which is better than those in mainland China and Hong Kong,\u201d she adds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
A sticker on the wall of Tainan Art Museum says: \u201cI have the right to decide about my uterus.\u201d (Photo courtesy of Li Yixuan)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

She observes that many public facilities are designed to be wheel-chair friendly, such as having more ramps rather than stairs. There are many left-handed chairs in universities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Li also finds the concept of gender equality prevalent in Taiwan, and the discussion of feminism is more popular than in mainland China and Hong Kong.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
A gender-inclusive sign in Taipei\u2019s busy area, Ximending District. (Photo courtesy of Li Yixuan)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThere are many film festivals about women, feminist bookshops and feminism-related public discussions,\u201d the year three student shares.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cTaiwan is also very acceptive of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) community, which is a taboo in the Mainland. I can find many LGBTQ-related research and books. I think Taiwanese pursue personal rights and civil democracy, so they care more about the rights of different groups. I think this makes the cultural industry in Taiwan more diverse,\u201d Li adds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
The toilet design is gender and religion inclusive in Taipei Huashan Cultural and Creative Park. (Photo courtesy of Li Yixuan)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Hong Kong university student Zhou Wenxiao from Henan also took advantage of the visa policy and flew to Taipei just to join the pride parade in 2024. This is her second visit to Taiwan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBeing a journalism major student, I am always interested in parades. I have seen many parade-related press coverage and never seen so many sexual minorities in a rally. The feeling was foreign to me. I enjoyed it,\u201d the year five student says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Zhou recalls there were many half-naked men in the parade, and the homosexual male was the main focus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Signs at parade gatherings read: \u201cLiberation for all genders.\u201d (Photo courtesy of Zhou Wenxiao)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Zhou points out that other non-governmental organisations (NGO) also attended the parade to campaign for their agenda, such as an NGO focusing on labour rights in developing countries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt is an opportunity to learn about people who are doing different things trying to change the world. That is appealing to me. I will go to Taiwan again for bookstores, parades and Taiwanese cuisine,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Edited by Cynthia Chan<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sub-edited by Molisa Meng<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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