Taiwan Friday told travel agencies not to bring Chinese tourists to military camps, citing concerns that some might be spies, amid a security scare after one mainland group got inside a base.

The unwelcome visitors from Zhejiang province in eastern China entered an air base in eastern Taiwan during an open house event last month but were asked to leave once they were identified, the defence ministry said.

"We cannot say every Chinese tourist is problematic but we cannot rule out the possibility that some might have ulterior motives such as spying on our military situation," said spokesman David Lo.

"We have to be careful to restrict Chinese people from visiting military bases in the open house events," he added.

Taiwan's military opens some of its bases to the public from time to time as part of efforts to improve relations with its civilian neighbours.

According to the Liberty Times newspaper, 16 Chinese nationals got inside a base on May 29 during an open house and were seen taking photos and watching drills.

The visitors said they happened to be passing by the base and decided to pay a visit out of curiosity as they saw cars queueing outside, the report said.

Taiwan relaxed rules on Chinese tourists in 2008 amid improving ties and its tourist sector is booming on an influx of mainland visitors since then.

However, security concerns linger despite eased political tensions as the former bitter rivals have been spying on each other since they split in 1949 at the end of a civil war.

A Taiwanese businessman was arrested this week for allegedly stealing military secrets for China in the latest of several espionage scandals that have recently rattled the island.

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