Greater Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chu (陳菊) yesterday led a delegation to China and was scheduled to meet her counterpart in Tianjin later that day. It was her second visit to the country in four years.
Chen said the goal of this visit is to invite her Chinese counterparts to attend a conference of mayors to be held in Kaohsiung in September, to promote the city and solicit investment.
During her visit, Chen will also meet Taiwanese businesspeople in China, according to the city government.
Chen’s last trip to China in May 2009 to promote the World Games held in Kaohsiung made her the highest-ranking public official from the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) to visit China to date.
Chen said she had informed DPP Chairman Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) of the trip and had received his support.
During her trip, she is also scheduled to visit Shenzhen, Xiamen and Fuzhou to invite their mayors to attend the Asia-Pacific Cities Summit, which is scheduled for Sept. 9 until Sept. 11.
Going to China to extend the invitations is part of her responsibilities as mayor of the summit’s host city, Chen said, adding that she will also discuss issues related to city development and exchanges with her Chinese counterparts.
So far, the mayors of more than 50 cities have signed up for the summit, officials said, adding that Kaohsiung officials visited these cities to issue invitations.
In Beijing, Chen Deming (陳德銘), chairman of China’s Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits, said the Chinese government welcomes Chen Chu’s visit to China.
Beijing has always been open to cross-strait exchange activities, he said on the sidelines of a student event.
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