Kinmen [Taiwan], July 11 : The Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) has firmly rejected Kinmen County's application to hold an open water racing event with the Chinese city of Xiamen, citing serious security concerns stemming from China's increasingly aggressive actions, MAC Deputy Minister and spokesman Liang Wen-chieh said yesterday.
Liang emphasised that Kinmen County must apply to the Sports Administration to participate in the 13th Kinmen-Xiamen Open Relay, which will consider the MAC's recommendation.
However, the council intends to advise against permitting the swim meet due to the persistent incursions by the China Coast Guard into Taiwan's restricted waters, endangering the safety of participating swimmers, according to Taipei Times.
While Kinmen is free to hold its 2025 Open Water Race within Taiwanese waters, the originally intended connection with Xiamen remains problematic. Liang stated that Chinese nationals can participate in the race only after applying through the MAC, as is standard for any sports event involving mainland Chinese.
The MAC will also refrain from sending any Taiwanese officials to liaise with their Chinese counterparts during the event, since Kinmen's government did not extend an invitation to the council, he added.
Separately, Liang revealed that Beijing has ignored Taiwan's repeated requests to discuss China's unilateral activation of air route W121, one of several provocative extensions along the M503 corridor. China notified Taiwan just one day before the route's public launch, prompting immediate objections from Taipei, but Beijing has so far refused to engage in negotiations, Taipei Times reported.
Although the new air routes have not yet disrupted Taipei's Flight Information Region due to close monitoring, the MAC remains cautious. Liang stressed that Taiwan sees no need for retaliation, given that travel bans against Chinese group tours were imposed last year following similar provocations over the M503 route.
This latest defiance by Beijing underscores the ongoing disregard for Taiwan's sovereignty and security, reinforcing MAC's stance to oppose any event that risks normalising dangerous mainland incursions, Taipei Times concluded.