Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-bin (郝龍斌) will visit Shanghai on Sunday for a forum that aims to promote cross-strait exchanges between Taipei and Shanghai.
Hau will meet Shanghai Mayor Han Zheng (韓正) at the forum and deliver a speech on city development and the organization of expositions. The two cities are scheduled to sign memorandums of understanding (MOU) on travel, health and education on Monday next week, before returning to Taiwan later the same day.
Hau will also visit Zhangjiang Hi-Tech Park and Xujiahui Park to learn about high-tech development and urban green coverage in Shanghai.
‘WIN-WIN’ AGAIN
“Mayor Han’s visit to Taipei last year helped launch the forum. We expect more city-to-city exchanges to create a win-win situation for the two cities,” he said.
Han visited Taipei in April last year to attend the first forum on city-to-city exchanges, where Taipei and Shanghai signed MOUs on cultural, travel, scientific and environmental protection exchanges.
DEEPER UNDERSTANDING
With the launch of direct flights between Taipei International Airport (Songshan airport) and Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport last year and the opening of Taiwan to free independent Chinese tourists, Hau said more Chinese tourists had a deeper understanding of Taipei and its residents and the city should take the opportunity to further promote the city’s charm to China and the rest of the world.
Hau said the two cities are seeking to make the forum an annual event promoting cross-strait relations via city exchanges.
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