China Announces 10 New Policy Measures Targeting Taiwan
- Chinese authorities announced 10 policy measures on April 12, 2026, intended to promote ties with Taiwan.
- The measures were released by the Taiwan Work Office under China's Communist Party and were reported by the Xinhua News Agency.
- A central component of the 10 measures focuses on the resumption of travel and the normalization of air transport.
Chinese authorities announced 10 policy measures on April 12, 2026, intended to promote ties with Taiwan. The announcement coincided with the final day of a visit to China by Kuomintang (KMT) Chairperson Cheng Li-wun.
The measures were released by the Taiwan Work Office under China’s Communist Party and were reported by the Xinhua News Agency. The office stated that the authorization to announce these policies followed a meeting on April 10, 2026, between Cheng Li-wun and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing.
Travel and Aviation Measures
A central component of the 10 measures focuses on the resumption of travel and the normalization of air transport. China plans to resume individual travel for residents of Fujian Province and Shanghai to Taiwan, reversing a ban on individual trips that had been in place since 2019.
Beijing is pushing for the full normalization
of direct cross-strait passenger flights. The government indicated support for resuming flights between Taiwan and several Chinese cities, including:
- Urumqi
- Xi’an
- Harbin
- Kunming
- Lanzhou
The measures also include plans for Kinmen County, a Taiwan-held outlying county, to share the use of the Xiamen Xiangan International Airport, which is currently under construction.
Trade, Culture, and Political Communication
The policy shift extends to the agricultural and cultural sectors. China announced it would facilitate the import of certain Taiwanese agricultural and aquaculture products. This follows a period in recent years where Beijing banned the import of produce such as tuna, squid, and pineapples from Taiwan.
In the cultural sphere, China will allow the broadcasting of Taiwanese animations, documentaries, and dramas. However, this permission is conditional on the content being wholesome and high-quality
and correctly oriented
.
On the political front, the Chinese government stated it would explore the establishment of a regular, longstanding communication mechanism between the ruling Communist Party and the opposition Kuomintang.
Reactions and Context
The Kuomintang, which has adopted a more pro-Beijing stance, welcomed the announcement. Chang Jung-kung, the vice chair of the KMT, stated that the measures are particularly in line with the expectations of various sectors in Taiwan
and provide a significant boost to the peaceful development of cross-strait relations
.
During her six-day visit, Cheng Li-wun met with President Xi Jinping on April 10. Following that meeting, Cheng told reporters that by opposing Taiwan independence, war could be avoided.
The government of Taiwan, led by the Democratic Progressive Party, did not provide an immediate response to the announcement on April 12, 2026.
These developments follow a period of heightened tension since 2016, when the Democratic Progressive Party first took power in Taiwan. During that time, Beijing suspended most official dialogues with the government in Taipei and increased the presence of military vessels and aircraft near the island.