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Travel agents urged not to take Chinese tourists to military bases

ROC Central News Agency

2011/06/17 20:08:07

Taipei, June 17 (CNA) Local travel agencies should refrain from taking Chinese tour groups to military bases or barracks around Taiwan, the Air Force Command Headquarters said in a statement Friday.

The military has opened its barracks to the public regularly as part of its public relations efforts, but the invitation is to Taiwanese citizens, the statement said, adding that prospective visitors should bring their identity cards for checks.

"We also hope travel agents would avoid taking Chinese tourists to any military base or barracks for sightseeing," the statement said.

The Air Force command issued the statement after a local daily reported the same day that a group of Chinese citizens walked leisurely into an air base in eastern Taiwan's Hualien County on May 29.

The Chinese visitors toured the military barracks and watched a demonstration of combat skills, and they took pictures of a number of weapons on display, the report said. They were not asked to leave until after Ministry of Justice Investigation Bureau officials, who were on site to give lectures on the protection of military intelligence, discovered the Chinese nationals from their mainland accents, the report said.

According to the paper, the incident marked the first time since the military began regular tours of their barracks for the public that Chinese tourists breached national defense facilities.

Commenting on the report, the Air Force statement said the Chinese tourists were members of a delegation from Zhejiang Province who were reviewing Taiwan's tertiary education system. They entered the barracks via a tour bus and they left after air base officials politely explained the military's stance.

The statement further said security officers at the air base began keeping close tabs on the Chinese tour group after they were identified.

Lawmakers were divided about the incident's impact. Ruling Kuomintang (KMT) Legislator Shuai Hua-ming, a senior military officer-turned lawmaker, said it was not a big deal.

"The incident would not have any impact on our combat preparedness or national security. Weapons on display had been carefully selected and no combat plans have ever been unveiled when military barracks are opened to the public," Shuai said.

His KMT colleague Ting Shou-chung, however, differed in opinion. Ting recalled that when he studied in the U.S., American bases were only open to students from allied countries, including Taiwan, but not to Chinese students.

"Our military bases should not be sightseeing spots for Chinese tourists and the military should promulgated clear guidelines and inform travel agencies of its regulations," Ting said.

Opposition Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Tsai Huang-liang said the incident places a spotlight on flaws and lapses in military barracks administration and security control.

"The National Security Bureau should step up efforts to prevent Chinese spies from gathering our military intelligence in guise as tourists," he said. (By Justin Su, Ho Meng-kuei, Hsieh Chia-jen and Sofia Wu) enditem/ly