The South Pacific Tourism Organization (SPTO) has rejected Taiwan's bid to be a member of the group, according to Monday's reports of Papua New Guinea's newspaper the National.

A communique from the council of Ministers of Tourism last week stated that members "reached a decision that Taiwan should remain outside of SPTO's membership unless opportunities prevail in the future."

The communique stated that most of the members decided to adhere to their respective governments' one-China policy and to reaffirm China's SPTO membership.

Chinese Ambassador Li Zhengjun, during his luncheon address at the 5th Biennial South Pacific Tourism Organization Conference, urged SPTO members not to entertain Taiwan's application for membership.

Li stated that China would give due consideration to other Pacific island countries to have them listed as tourist destinations for Chinese tourists.

China has approved Fiji, Tonga, Vanuatu, and Cook Islands as tourist destination for Chinese tourists.

The SPTO is an intergovernmental platform for the members to develop tourism cooperation in the south pacific region.

The council of the ministers attending the SPTO conference requested SPTO to work hard to make tourism an industry of sustainable development for the region.

It also asked that more attention should be given to regional tourism development in the Pacific Plan put to discussion in the 36th Pacific Islands Forum to be held this week.

Source: Xinhua