Shanghai tourist dies after road accident in Taiwan

A tourist from Shanghai has died after a road accident in eastern Taiwan's Hualien, the Cross-Straits Tourism Association's Taipei office confirmed today.

Li Guanyi, about 20 years old, visiting Taiwan as an independent tourist, was hit by a motorcycle when he walked from a train station to a hotel in Hualien on Tuesday. It is the first death of a mainland independent tourist on Taiwan since the island opened for independent visits by mainlanders last June.

According to a police investigation, the motorcycle rider did not notice Li, who was wearing dark clothes in heavy rain and dim lighting. The police immediately went to the scene after the incident was reported, only to find Li in a coma. He died on the way to hospital though ambulance medics conducted first aid on him.

The Cross-Straits Tourism Association's Taipei office received the information from Taiwan's tourism and "immigration" departments early yesterday morning and started an "emergency working mechanism" immediately, said Liu Kezhi, director of the office.

Liu has reported the case to his association in Beijing. The travel agency in Shanghai which handled Li's tourism application has contacted his relatives. Both sides of the Strait are accelerating the pace of arranging for Li's family to go to Taiwan as soon as possible.

Taiwan's Straits Exchange Foundation said its staff would offer help for Li's family members coming to the island.