China’s Taiwan Affairs Office (TAO) representatives would not be allowed to enter Taiwan except in special cases, an official said yesterday, citing China’s measures targeting “Taiwanese independence separatists” and cross-border repression as examples of its continued hostility and lack of goodwill toward Taiwan.
This year’s Taipei-Shanghai Twin City Forum is scheduled to take place in Shanghai next month.
Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) is planning to lead a delegation to Shanghai on Dec. 25, participate in the forum’s opening ceremony on Dec. 26 and travel back to Taipei on Dec. 27.
Photo: Chen Yu-fu, Taipei Times
However, the Mainland Affairs Council recently rejected Shanghai TAO Deputy Director Li Xiaodong’s (李驍東) application to enter Taiwan, drawing criticism from the TAO.
An official said that the Shanghai TAO treats Taiwanese businesspeople poorly.
Although Shanghai has a large number of Taiwanese businesspeople, very few return to Taiwan to participate in events organized by the Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF), the official said.
The Shanghai TAO obstructs and threatens Taiwanese, discouraging them from attending events organized by the SEF or Taiwanese government, officials said.
Since the director and deputy director of the Shanghai TAO show no goodwill toward Taiwan, the council denied Li’s application to enter the nation, they added.
Despite broader tensions, Taipei and Shanghai would continue other exchanges under the Twin City Forum, the official said.
Among those exchanges, China is sending a panda to Taiwan, and Taiwan is sending a black-footed penguin in return. Taipei has approved two Chinese zoo officials and an official from the Shanghai TAO to visit the nation and inspect the panda’s housing at the Taipei Zoo, the official said.
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