Taiwan Reportedly to Allow Residents to Visit Mainland

TAIPEI, Taiwan — The policy-making Central Standing Committee of the ruling Nationalist Party on Wednesday unanimously approved the lifting of a 38-year-old ban on visits by the people of Taiwan to China, a committee member said.

The member, who requested anonymity, said the change was intended to allow residents of Taiwan to visit relatives. Taiwan banned visits to China after the Communist takeover of the mainland in 1949.

The member said President Chiang Ching-kuo said at the end of the meeting that there will be no change in the government’s “three ‘noes’ policy”--no contact, no negotiation and no compromise with Beijing at official levels. The policy prohibits direct trade with China, although indirect trade through third countries totaled $671 million in the first half of 1987.