Taiwan is nudging, not forcing, its citizens to tell the government when they travel to China — a mild step that leaves travelers free to opt out.

• New rules from Sept. 1 tell travel agencies to warn clients about the risks of going to China and help them sign up for a government tracking system.
• Registration stays voluntary: if a traveler refuses, no one can make them.
• The system is meant to locate Taiwanese in emergencies — it showed 51 were in Tibet during a recent flash flood near the Nepal border.
• Agencies must also report group numbers and carry liability insurance, or face small fines.
• The push comes just before China brings in tighter entry and exit rules on Sept. 15, which Taipei says could make visits riskier.

Outlook: Expect Taipei to keep tightening paperwork around China travel as Beijing's new border rules take effect mid-month.