In January this year, “bikini hiker” Wu Jih-Yun died after falling into a valley while climbing Hei Shan near Bunjiu Mountain in Nantou County. Hikers criticized the government, blaming the ban and excessive regulation for her death. In response, Executive Yuan Political Deputy Minister Chang Ching-sen convened relevant agencies to discuss the issue and gathered feedback from hikers. They reached a consensus on “lifting mountain restrictions,” which will see national parks abolish entry controls and the Council of Agriculture’s Forestry Bureau open all forest roads. The changes will be completed before the summer vacation begins on June 1 this year.
According to the United Daily News, Chang Ching-sen pointed out that mountain hiking activities will no longer be overseen by the Ministry of Transportation and Communications’ Tourism Bureau but will instead be managed by the Sports Administration. “After all, mountain guides are different from travel agency tour guides.”
Chang Ching-sen said that each national park will comply with the government's decision to cancel entry restrictions. Even if registration is required, the management of hikers will shift to a “notification-based” system. With the exception of Dan Da Forest Road—which remains closed due to landslide risks—the Forestry Bureau will open all forest roads. However, to protect forest resources and prevent illegal logging (“mountain rats”), vehicle access will still be regulated. In other words, they will “regulate vehicles, not people.”
In response, netizens left comments such as: “First, change the law to charge the families of victims rescue fees, or else these kinds of people will never stop coming.” “They’re just opening the mountains up for illegal loggers and forest poachers to waste national resources.” “Prediction: the free rescue helicopter dispatch rate is going to shoot straight up—quicker than hailing a taxi!” “Rescue workers’ lives are so cheap—they’re risking their lives to save others.”