The "mainland committee" of the Taiwan Authorities recently said they will allow mainland tourists to visit the island province on an experimental base, according to Taiwan-based media.

At first, a number of mainland cities will be selected as candidate areas whose residents will be allowed to make the visit in Taiwan.

Fujian Province, neighboring Taiwan across the straits, is excluded from the candidate, for the time being, due to a "high escape rate" of its visitors.

The committee plans to accept 1,000 mainland tourists a day.

The two sides may begin talks on the issue within this year, an official with the committee said Friday.

On May 20, Zhang Jianzhong, spokesman of the National Tourism Administration, held a press briefing, urging the Taiwan Authorities to authorize some non-government tourist agency in the province to talk with the mainland's China Tourism Association.

(Xinhua News Agency May 29, 2005)