Taipei-Shanghai forum goes ahead, with calls for ‘olive branches’ and exchanges

Taiwan denied entry to 11 members of the Shanghai delegation, as well as nine journalists

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Shanghai vice-mayor Hua Yuan (back left) and Taipei mayor Wayne Chiang Wan-an (back right) shake hands after signing a memorandum of understanding at the forum in Taipei on Tuesday. Photo: EPA-EFE

Published: 9:00pm, 17 Dec 2024

An annual forum that brings together officials and business representatives from Shanghai and Taipei went ahead on Tuesday after Taiwan denied entry to some mainland Chinese attendees.

Speaking at the 15th Taipei-Shanghai Twin-City Forum at a Taipei hotel, Shanghai’s vice-mayor Hua Yuan pledged to encourage people from his city to go on group tours to Taiwan.

Memorandums of cooperation were signed on smart medical care and zoo animal exchanges, witnessed by Hua, Taipei mayor Wayne Chiang Wan-an and his deputy Lin Yi-hua.

In his opening remarks, Chiang, a great-grandson of late Nationalist or Kuomintang leader Chiang Kai-shek, said this year’s forum had “not come easily”, noting the importance of maintaining such exchanges when cross-strait relations are under strain.

Chiang has come under pressure over hosting the event, with the ruling Democratic Progressive Party questioning whether it should go ahead given Beijing’s increasing military activities near self-ruled Taiwan.

Taipei mayor Wayne Chiang Wan-an said this year’s forum had “not come easily”. Photo: EPA-EFE

The island’s Mainland Affairs Council conditionally approved the forum but said it would be scrapped if there was any escalation from the People’s Liberation Army and if the situation “deteriorated”.