The Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) yesterday said that it has approved an application by the Taipei City Government to invite Shanghai’s Taiwan Affairs Office (TAO) Deputy Director Li Xiaodong (李驍東) for a visit on Saturday.
The visit would be the first by a Shanghai official in three years, as person-to-person interactions had been disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Taipei and Shanghai are sister cities.
It is not yet known whether Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) would personally meet with Li.
The Taipei City Government said that it would observe all government regulations, ensure that the visiting group is low-key, keep the visit simple and not make any political statements.
The MAC said the government has yet to allow Chinese individuals to visit Taiwan for professional interactions and that all applications by Chinese to enter Taiwan are carefully reviewed.
It said that after conferring with the Taipei City Government, it has decided that the city’s application meets all required criteria.
The application was approved following a review by the Central Epidemic Command Center, it added.
The MAC said the Shanghai delegation would visit the Taiwan Lantern Festival in Taipei and exchange opinions on city governance with the Taipei City Government.
It called on the Taipei City Government to make the group’s itinerary open and transparent.
It said that the Taipei City Government should also take precautions to guarantee the delegation’s safety, while ensuring that the group observes the regulations and respects the local culture.
The MAC said any interactions should be rational and equal, and based on mutual respect.
The government supports cross-strait exchanges that comply with Taiwan’s laws and do not have overt political connotations, it added.
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