Taiwan's plan to admit Chinese tourists traveling independently rather than with tour groups will not be affected by the recent Suhua Highway tragedy in which a Chinese tourist was confirmed dead and 19 others remain missing, a senior negotiator with China said Saturday. 'The tragedy was an isolated incident that will not affect the plan to open our doors to independent Chinese tourists, ' said Kao Koong-lian, vice chairman of the Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF), a quasi-official intermediary body formed to deal with China in the absence of official ties across the Taiwan Strait. 'The two sides will continue negotiating technical details and the program will be put into practice when the time is ripe, ' said Kao after observing search operations near a collapsed section of the scenic Suhua Highway. At present, Chinese nationals can only visit Taiwan for pleasure as part of an organized tour, but the government hopes that relaxing the restriction will provide an additional spark to the country's tourism industry. Kao said he was visiting the site on behalf of SEF Chairman Chiang Pin-kung to express his respect and gratitude for the efforts of emergency search personnel. 'We hope they will continue doing their utmost to search for the missing people out of humanitarian considerations,' Kao said. Responding to complaints by some relatives of missing Chinese nationals that Taiwan did not mobilize sufficient manpower and equipment for the search, Kao said rugged terrain and inclement weather hobbled the operation. 'As a matter of fact, a large number of search and rescue professionals, military SWAT team members, warships and Coast Guard vessels have taken part in the operation,' Kao said. Meanwhile, Mainland Affairs Council Deputy Chairman Kao Chang, who accompanied Kao Koong-lian on the visit to the Suhua Highway, said the Ministry of Justice is studying whether Taiwan's State Compensation Law is applicable to Chinese victims. Search personnel continued working in the mountains and at sea Saturday, but failed to locate any of those who have remained missing since Oct. 21 when deadly landslides hit the Suhua Highway amid torrential rains brought by Typhoon Megi. Body parts of three people -- one Chinese and two Taiwanese -- have been recovered, but 23 other people remain unaccounted for. 