Taipei, May 4 -- The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is subsidising religious pilgrimages for Taiwanese temple-goers as part of its broader "united front" efforts, a Taiwanese intelligence official said on Sunday, as per reports by Taipei Times.

According to the official, the CCP is providing financial incentives for individuals to travel to China for religious events, offering subsidies to borough wardens and temple heads who recruit participants.

The intelligence source revealed that the CCP is either partially or fully covering the costs of Taiwanese citizens' travel to China for major religious gatherings. One recent example cited was a pilgrimage organised to Fujian Province to celebrate the 1,065th birthday of the sea goddess Matsu,...