Chinese spouses can visit their relatives in Taiwan through the Mini-Three Links

Beijing - In a move that is likely to have significant impacts on cross-strait relations, Chinese mainlanders who are spouses of Taiwanese citizens will be able to travel to Taiwan via the Mini Three Links. This change is set to be implemented from July 20, according to a statement made on July 18 by the Mainland Affairs Council Chairman Qiu Tai-san, reported by Taiwanese media.

The Mini Three Links, a system that allows direct postal, transportation, and trade links between the Chinese Fujian province and outlying Taiwanese islands of Kinmen and Matsu, has been at the center of discourse for many years now. It was originally instituted to improve cross-strait relations but has since been used as a bargaining chip in the geopolitical rivalry between Beijing and Taipei.

The resumption of the Mini Three Links has become a hot topic on the Chinese social media platform Weibo, where users have expressed a variety of opinions on the matter. Many users have even misread the term "Mini Three Links" (小三通), mistaking it for "mistress" (小三) due to their similarity in Chinese.

A number of Weibo users have criticized the Taiwanese authorities over their initial decision to halt the Mini Three Links. One user said, "Let's not hail the Taiwanese authorities here. It was they who actively closed the Mini Three Links, while the mainland has been promoting its reopening. Also, Taiwan discriminates against mainland spouses."

Others have expressed amusement over the confusion with the term "mistress". "I thought it meant you had to go through a mistress to get to Taiwan," joked one user. Another chimed in, "Oh, so you don't need a mistress to travel to Taiwan?"

Meanwhile, some users have questioned the impact of the resumption of the Mini Three Links on the prospect of cross-strait reunification. "Can this bring about any substantial progress towards unification?" a netizen questioned. Another user sarcastically commented, "The combination of mistress and communication is truly challenging my knowledge."

While the discussion continues on Weibo, this move certainly represents a significant step in cross-strait relations. As to whether it could foster better ties or further tension between mainland China and Taiwan, only time will tell.