Mainlanders allowed to reside in Taiwan in the past were either elderly people over 70 or children under 12. Otherwise, the only mainlanders who have been able to come to Taiwan have been outstanding specialists or figures from the arts and entertainment, and they for short-term visits only.
以往能在台灣正式居留的大陸客，不是年過七十的老人，就是未滿十二歲的小孩；正值壯年的大陸客，如傑出專業人士，或演藝人員等，多是短期停留。