A delegation led by Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) set off on a three-day visit to Shanghai yesterday morning to attend the annual Shanghai-Taipei Twin-City Forum, with Chiang saying that he would use the opportunity to facilitate the prosperous development of the capital and the nation.
“The Republic of China is a democratic country, so there will be contrasting opinions toward any important policy decision ... so we are very grateful and will value it,” Chiang told reporters before boarding a plane at Taipei International Airport (Songshan airport) yesterday morning.
Taiwan Republic Office director Chilly Chen (陳峻涵) was at the airport holding a sign that read: “The twin-city forum is the model for the ‘united front’ campaign,” and urged Chiang not to become a “chess piece” in China’s “united front” tactics toward Taiwan.
Photo courtesy of the Taipei City Government
Chen said that Chiang should not waste taxpayers’ money by attending the forum and instead focus on municipal administration.
Due to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) intensifying its rhetoric and military coercion, Chiang, as mayor of Taipei, should use the forum as a platform to speak up for Taiwanese and protest against the CCP, Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Taipei City Councilor Chien Hsu-pei (簡舒培) said.
Chiang should ask the CCP to stop its malicious behavior toward Taiwan and express mutual friendliness, and if the CCP is unwilling to respond to his request, he should carefully consider whether Taipei should host the next annual forum, she said.
“Taipei is the most developed area in Taiwan, and as Taipei mayor I have a responsibility to grasp any opportunity to strive for the prosperous development of the city and the nation,” Chiang said, adding that no matter changes in party politics or cross-strait relations, the forum has served to maintain dialogue between the cities of Taipei and Shanghai.
He said that cross-strait relations are fraught, which is not something Taiwanese want to see, but steady trade and economic exchanges continue through the Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement, and while there is friction between the two sides on exports of agricultural and fisheries products, it needs to be solved through talks.
“Cross-strait relations are complicated and cannot be simplified to a few sentences, so there must be a mechanism for dialogue,” Chiang said, adding that action is needed resolve friction.
He said people should feel safe and assured that “our intention to value democracy, and maintain peace and prosperity remains consistent.”
Upon arriving at the airport in Shanghai at about 10am, Chiang and the delegation were greeted by Shanghai Vice Mayor Hua Yuan (華源).
Additional reporting by Chen Yu-fu
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