TAIPEI (REUTERS) – Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen on Thursday (August 1) called Beijing’s ban on individual tourists to the island a “major strategic mistake” amid heightened tension with giant neighbour China.

China is using mainland tourists as “political tools” and the move would create antipathy in Taiwanese people, Ms Tsai told reporters in Taipei.

China will stop issuing individual travel permits for Taiwan to Chinese citizens from Aug 1, its culture and tourism ministry said on Wednesday, citing the state of ties with the island. The move could deal a blow to Taiwan’s tourism industry.

This story is developing.

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