The annual Shanghai-Taipei Twin-City Forum, the only platform for direct exchanges between officials on both sides of the Taiwan Strait, would not take place this month as scheduled due to “unresolved details,” the Taipei City Government said yesterday.
The city government said in a statement that both sides agreed the annual forum should be well-prepared rather than rushed.
Taipei Deputy Mayor Lin Yi-hua (林奕華) said the city government is still working on two memorandums of understanding (MOUs) with the central government and its Shanghai counterpart.
Photo: Fang Pin-chao, Taipei Times
The postponement followed reports that Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) would lead a delegation to Shanghai on Thursday for a three-day visit to attend the forum.
The city government sent the MOUs to the central government about a month ago to comply with regulations. One is awaiting approval from several agencies, while details of the other are still under negotiation, Lin said.
Earlier yesterday, KMT Taipei City Councilor Chan Wei-yuan (詹為元) accused the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) and other agencies of inefficiency and deliberate obstruction, saying that such behavior would not help build mutual trust or ease cross-strait tensions.
Lin said that it was “not necessarily the MAC” that had yet to approve the documents, but added that the city government needs support from the central government.
“If central government agencies do not agree with any part, we would have to discuss the matter further with the Shanghai side,” she said.
Meanwhile, the MAC denied that it was hindering the forum.
MAC Deputy Minister and spokesman Liang Wen-chieh (梁文傑) said the agency has been providing assistance, and that a consensus was reached on Friday to green-light the trip this week.
He described the cancelation as “unexpected.”
“The National Immigration Agency had planned to issue the visas today, so I am surprised by the Taipei City Government’s decision, but I have little idea about its reason,” he said.
Liang said Taipei and Shanghai would continue to work on the forum, believing that a better-prepared event can improve cross-strait relations.
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