Over 1.5 million Taiwan residents visited mainland China in early 2025, drawn by eased entry, cultural sites, and mobile payments.

Taiwan residents are traveling in large numbers to the Chinese mainland during the October holidays, with over 1.5 million visiting in the first half of 2025 and an estimated 1.51 million expected at Taoyuan International Airport from October 3 to 11. Despite restrictions on group tours and a level-orange travel alert, travelers are visiting diverse destinations from Beijing and Xi’an to inland areas like Xinjiang, drawn by cultural sites, natural landscapes, and convenient mobile payments via WeChat and Alipay, which now link to Taiwan phone numbers and bank cards. The mainland has eased entry by waiving additional endorsements on travel permits, contributing to growing interest in deeper, more varied cross-strait travel experiences.