Taiwan is a key strategic ally of the United States, because of its proximity to China and role producing semiconductors. China has become increasingly belligerent towards the breakaway nation, and Chinese President Xi no longer feels constrained in acting aggressively now that he has secured an unprecedented third term.
Unable to deter China without strong U.S. support, the island nation has sought security cooperation with the United States and has more flights to the United States than the market alone would warrant in order to foster close ties. When former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan last summer her plane became the most tracked in history.
Taiwan had early success containing Covid-19. Like much of Asia it was heavily locked down during the pandemic. And despite re-opening, pandemic restrictions haven’t been completely lifted. It’s not yet seen as a major tourism destination. Fewer than one million tourists entered Taiwan in 2022.
That’s a problem for Taiwan because cultural exchange and deepening ties with the rest of the world are its best path forward for securing support that will deter Chinese invasion.
As a result, it’s not really a surprise that Taiwan is literally going to pay tourists to visit.
In order to achieve the goal [of 6 million tourists in 2023], the country will be offering 5,000 New Taiwan dollars (approximately $163) to 500,000 tourists and 20,000 New Taiwan dollars (approximately $651) to 90,000 tour groups.
And you know what? Taiwan doesn’t get nearly in the attention in the U.S. that Japan, South Korea, or China receive. But it’s totally worth visiting, certainly for the food and I’d be remiss on this website if I didn’t mention the quality of all of their airlines!
Taiwan will hold ‘promotional events’ throughout the year where they’ll make the promotional offer available. On arrival in Taiwan, tourists will receive a stored-value card that can be spent down in-country. Travel agencies will also be incentivized to bring in foreign tourists. The efforts are part of a $172.5 million package.
It’s not entirely dissimilar from the Birthright Israel strategy which sends visitors to Israel in order to engender connection and support for the country, though with Sheldon Adelson’s passing the Adelson family has eliminated its funding. Taiwan doesn’t heavily rely on a benefactor for this, of course.
It’s an interesting point. I suppose that if enough nationals of certain countries are in-country at any given point, China might be slightly more reticent to attack.
Perhaps they could get EVA and China Air to release more award flights? I love Taiwan and EVA Air, but getting award tickets in business class is not easy.
@CW – it’s not the mere presence of foreigners as such (although that could factor) it’s more having more people from a country like the U.S. feeling close to and connected with Taiwan, leading to more political support for defending Taiwan from China
If Taiwan wants to “engender connection and support for the country” in the US, they would make their best export available east of Las Vegas. Spend that money opening Din Tai Fung in New York, Miami, Houston, etc.
@Gary totally get that at the macro level. Was just remarking that having a large number of physical assets (citizens) on the ground at any given time could play into a political calculus as well.
I applaud Taiwan for incentivizing travel to Taiwan. This is very positive for tourism and new business opportunities.
This gives me the idea for a potentially interesting article… A list of countries for Americans to visit as patriotic support in geopolitics. Taiwan as you discuss here… Baltic states? Ukraine… Where else?
@PeteyNice–here, here!! Our family loves Din Tai Fung!!…more U.S. locations is a must and would be a great way to ‘engender connection and support’ to Taiwan. In fact, we’re planning a trip to Taiwan just to hit some of the o.g. locations…..(and likely a whirlwind country-wide food tour!). And thank you Gary for highlighting Taiwan as an interesting tourist location–we’ll be on the Hello Kitty flight ASAP thanks to you! Appreciate the VFTW blog!-
It’s not nearly enough to encourage anyone to travel there who isn’t already interested. $163 is a rounding error for international travelers for such a long flight. They would be better offering free flights with a lottery system. Many here wouldn’t be interested flying in Y but others would.
My wife is from Taiwan. It’s an interesting place to visit. People park their bicycles on the sidewalk unlocked. When on the train a college age girl I was sitting next to got up from her seat for a few minutes, presumably to go to the bathroom and she left her purse on her seat unattended while she was gone. It’s such a different place.
If they have it soon, I will go and get the money. They have to act fast as I am planning my late spring/early summer annual vacation.
A “breakaway nation.?!”
Come on man! Taiwan has been governed by the KMT since 1949. It is actually the continuation of the government that controlled Mainland China before the CCP came to power during the Chinese Civil War. Taiwan’s current flag is the historical flag used by China prior to CCP takeover. I can dismiss the KMT’s claim to Mainland China, but Taiwan is anything but “breakaway.”
I *REALLY REALLY* want to visit Taiwan. Not going to happen while this is in force: “Effective October 13, 2022, Taiwan has lifted the quarantine requirement for all arrivals and require 7-day period of self-initiated epidemic prevention. Taiwan maintains a requirement that arrivals may stay “one person per room” during the 7-day period.”
Not paying for two rooms for my wife and I. Plus reading the Taiwan CDC website, the whole “mask on, mask off thing…. who one may or may not mingle with, etc. resembles the Gordian knot.
If they were being serious about wanting travelers they’d bin this stuff.
@woofie They already “bin’d” that stuff.
https://www.travelandleisure.com/taiwan-paying-tourists-incentive-plan-7113445
@Jerry
Your post is totally correct, but needs one clarification about the following statement —
“Taiwan has been governed by the KMT since 1949”
The KMT today no longer holds monopolistic reign over Taiwan, as there have now been multiple Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) leaders elected as presidents (eg, the current administration there) as well as majorities within Taiwan’s national legislative yuan (legislature) and at multiple municipal/county levels of local government.
A more all-encompassing statement will be —
“Taiwan has *never ever* been under the control of China’s CCP”
thus rendering CCP’s incessant claim that Taiwan is a “renegade” province, to be total nonsense from both historical and legal perspectives! The Shanghai Communique, to which so many pro-CCP adherents refer about their “perceived” status of Taiwan, actually stated that USA *understood* what China claimed over Taiwan, but *did not agree* with that claim, as Taiwan’s actual/future status needed to be determined by the populace in Taiwan and *not* through unfounded claims made by China’s CCP!
If it’s Din Tai Fung’s you want, come to Singapore- we have twice as many outlets as in Taiwan- crazy!
https://www.tiktok.com/@joelleuzyel/video/7180884820057132331
I personally won’t be going back to Taiwan until masking is a thing of the past. It’s dystopian.
@George
Literally otw and checking it 🙂
Taiwan is a great place, but I won’t be back while all of those masking regulations are in effect and I’m surrounded by people too petrified to show their face. If Taiwan wants to attract me as a tourist, this masking insanity must stop (and that goes for Japan and PRC too).
Taiwan is not in fact an ally of the US. We have no commitment to defend it. The relationship isn’t even on par with most partner countries. See here: https://www.state.gov/u-s-relations-with-taiwan/
@Words Matter – Taiwan is a country. We have a commitment to sell arms for Taiwan to defend itself, and an implicit commitment to defend the island nation.
President Biden made an explicit commitment to defend Taiwan from attack:
https://www.reuters.com/world/biden-says-us-forces-would-defend-taiwan-event-chinese-invasion-2022-09-18/
@Words Matter — “Taiwan is not in fact an ally of the US. We have no commitment to defend it.”
So what *is* Taiwan, to you, then? An adversary? Like PRC?
Let’s pretend that we do *not* help defend Taiwan … then watch what happens should PRC succeed in taking over Taiwan, along with TSMC and the rest of Taiwan’s semiconductor industry, which makes 60% of the world’s IC chips and 92% of the world’s most advanced IC chips!
Then also watch what happens should PRC get to use Taiwan as that “unsinkable aircraft carrier” base from which to gain direct deep water access to the Western Pacific for its fleet of submarines … which can then more readily threaten neighboring countries that are currently thriving “democracies,” including our own Pacific island territories and Hawaii, as well as continental USA !
Love your Apple products, including your iPhones, iPads, MacBooks, etc? All Apple products use the most advanced IC chips from TSMC!
Love your latest F-35 Lightning II stealth fighters? Those use the most advanced IC chips from TSMC, as well!
Love your latest cars and trucks (whether ICE or EV)? Those use advanced IC chips from TSMC, too!
Finally — we’ve sent over US$196 BILLION in total aid (including military weapons and ammo) to Ukraine in order to help “defend it” against a Russian invasion … yet Ukraine is *not* even a member of NATO, so where is that stated “commitment” to help “defend” Ukraine? Does it even exist?
Are you starting to understand, yet, just how totally *irrelevant* your nitpicks about “words” are, in the *Real* World?