Tourism as an Agent of Peace and Reconciliation in Cross-Strait Relations

Abstract

There is a non-violent conflict over Taiwan's sovereignty, between the People's Republic of China (PRC) and the Republic of China (ROC). For PRC, this division cannot persist forever and does not exclude a possible military solution. While political divisions remain, the population on both sides of the strait interact, existing sociocultural and economic dynamics. These are usually interpreted as people-to-people dynamics, in which individuals act as peace agents or citizen diplomats. Tourism is a good example of this phenomenon, considering the increasing visitor flows between both sides. This dynamism sometimes pressures the political power to transform the conflict, but also acts as a throwing weapon in times of hostility. After 2016, the political landscape in Taiwan changed, and tourism became one of the sectors involved in political tensions. This chapter explores several dimensions of tourism in this conflict, particularly its role in peace and reconciliation between Mainland China and Taiwan, but also its vulnerabilities regarding high-level bilateral relations.