Hong Kong (CNN) The Chinese government announced Wednesday that it will suspend a program allowing solo tourists from 47 cities to visit Taiwan, amid rising cross-strait tensions.

In a statement, China's Ministry of Culture and Tourism said the travel ban would come into force on August 1, effectively banning all individual leisure travel from mainland China to Taiwan.

Business travelers and tour groups will still be able to visit Taiwan from mainland China.

The individual visit program was piloted in June 2011 in three cities -- Beijing, Shanghai and Xiamen -- before being expanded to residents of 47 cities to encourage closer ties between Taiwan and the mainland.

However, in recent months, Taipei and Beijing have clashed over issues including a $2.2 billion US arms sales to Taiwan, the Hong Kong pro-democracy protests and a visit by Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen to New York.

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