Tourism as a Public Diplomacy Tool: A Case Study on the Influence of the ADS Policy in Chinese-Taiwanese Political Affairs

In recent years China’s influence in the global order has increased remarkably, thereby stirring up opinions whether China will once again become the world’s leading power by taking over the US’s position. Accompanied with their rapid economic growth, Chinese outbound tourism increased substantially. Due to this growing middle class, accompanied with higher disposable income, China has become the largest tourism marked in the world in terms of travels. Due to growing international tourism of Chinese citizens to overseas holiday destinations the phenomenon of cultural interaction between China and other countries is reinforced. As tourism via the Taiwan Strait is said to be dependent on the changing political relations of the two governments, this thesis will conduct research on the influence of tourism in relation to political affairs between China and Taiwan. Consequently, this research will look into the utilization of tourism as a political tool as part of public diplomacy,...Show moreIn recent years China’s influence in the global order has increased remarkably, thereby stirring up opinions whether China will once again become the world’s leading power by taking over the US’s position. Accompanied with their rapid economic growth, Chinese outbound tourism increased substantially. Due to this growing middle class, accompanied with higher disposable income, China has become the largest tourism marked in the world in terms of travels. Due to growing international tourism of Chinese citizens to overseas holiday destinations the phenomenon of cultural interaction between China and other countries is reinforced. As tourism via the Taiwan Strait is said to be dependent on the changing political relations of the two governments, this thesis will conduct research on the influence of tourism in relation to political affairs between China and Taiwan. Consequently, this research will look into the utilization of tourism as a political tool as part of public diplomacy, specifically analyzing the way in which China uses tourism as a public diplomacy tool and how they apply this as a political tool on Taiwan, demonstrating the framework of tourism to wield both soft and hard power. This research will focus the Approved Destination Status policy by the Chinese regarding the regulation of group tours visits to other entities, which has been operating between China and Taiwan since 2008.Show less

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Tourism as a Public Diplomacy Tool: A Case Study on the Influence of the ADS Policy in Chinese-Taiwanese Political Affairs