According to mainland Chinese websites, the other side believes Taiwan has sounded the “horn” for “counterattacking mainland China.” On June 15, Taiwan’s MAC vice director and spokesperson Chiu Chui-cheng stated that to protest mainland China’s “seizure of Taiwan’s diplomatic allies and suppression tactics,” they would “reassess the cross-strait situation and not rule out adjusting personnel exchange measures and any other possibilities.” The DPP and Tsai government planned to start with “personnel control”—restricting mainland visitors to Taiwan to “punish” mainland China and make them “feel the pain.”
Two days later, Taiwan’s “non-compromise” and “counterattack” finally had a concrete plan. While Chiu Chui-cheng spoke of “adjusting personnel exchange measures,” DPP secretary-general Hong Yao-fu stated on June 15 that future people flow management would be tiered, starting with strengthening controls on mainland officials visiting Taiwan, including potentially reconsidering mainland students’ enrollment in national health insurance and stricter “scrutiny” of mainland media entering Taiwan. He said, “In any case, we need to make the other side feel it,” and that we “cannot let mainland China think Taiwan is weak.”
Some netizens on Facebook offered sharp commentary, viewing the DPP’s series of responses to the “diplomatic break” as a joke:
The Hong Kong China Review published commentary noting that restricting mainland officials’ Taiwan visits and reconsidering mainland students’ health insurance coverage, as cross-strait relations have frozen over the past year with mainlanders, mainland tourists, and mainland students already significantly reduced, further restrictions would inevitably lower numbers further. This would only harm Taiwan businesses, shops, and universities.
Besides restricting people flow and exchange, Taiwan also reportedly plans to push for “UN membership” at the September UN General Assembly. United News Network reported on June 15 that “related departments have recently held intensive meetings, and regarding this year’s UN proposal, they won’t be as conservative as last year and won’t rule out taking action.”
Regarding Taiwan’s recent threats to restrict personnel exchange and reconsider mainland students’ health insurance enrollment as “counterattack” measures, Zhu Songlin bluntly stated this represents Tsai’s freezing and contraction of cross-strait relations since coming to office, with the Panama “diplomatic break” serving as an excuse to “make mountains out of molehills,” aiming to reduce cross-strait exchanges. “These measures won’t significantly impact mainland China, but will add fuel to the fire for already-cold cross-strait relations,” Zhu said. He also pointed out that the DPP has traveled further down Taiwan independence’s mistaken path, which doesn’t prevent mainland China from continuing to uphold the “92 Consensus” and promoting cross-strait civilian exchanges. “Mainland China will continue to promote cross-strait friendly civilian exchanges and resolve misunderstandings and gaps,” he said. “We welcome Taiwan compatriots to visit mainland China, study, work, and live there, and deepen their understanding of mainland China.”