Taipei city councilors yesterday said Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) and city government officials were undermining Taiwanese sovereignty and national identity after a display featuring Shanghai was given a prominent spot at the Taipei Lantern Festival.
Chiang allowed a display with the signage “Shanghai 2026” and landmark buildings from China’s financial hub to be featured “front and center” at the lantern festival, Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Taipei City Councilor Lin Yen-feng (林延鳳) said.
The lantern festival is ongoing at the Taipei Flora Expo Park.
Photo: CNA
Lin said she received numerous reports about the display.
Upon entering the lantern display zone, people were attracted to the first bright, multicolored display, but were surprised to see the signage “Shanghai 2026.”
The display contained the headline, “This is Shanghai,” she said, adding that it was obviously pushing the Chinese agenda that Taiwan is part of China.
“Mayor Chiang and his city government officials gave the most prominent place to a Shanghai display. It is at front and center, and not in the international zone with other foreign countries,” Lin said. “Why has Shanghai been given such special treatment, misleading the public as though it is a city in Taiwan?”
DPP Councilor Chien Shu-pei (簡舒培) also expressed concern about the display, saying: “At the Flora Expo Park, we have displays from other countries, all next to each other at the C13 Zone. Meanwhile, the Shanghai one is much larger than all others, and is right next to the MRT station.”
“Chinese officials are using it to denigrate Taiwanese sovereignty, and Chiang and his city government are happy to go along with it,” Chien said.
Taipei Department of Information and Tourism Director Yu Hsiang (余祥) said that “the Taipei Lantern Festival is held in Taipei — this is, of course, Taipei.”
The installation titled “This is Shanghai” only showcases that city’s theme and imagery, he said, adding that the title does not affect the core identity of the lantern festival.
Meanwhile, the US for the first time displayed an installation at the lantern festival, the theme of which was “Light of Liberty, Promise of Prosperity.”
The American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) said it aimed to remind people of the US’ founding values of freedom, opportunity and progress.
The AIT said it invites people to visit the display, which honors the ideals that have shaped the US for 250 years, adding that it looks forward to a future defined by strong partnership and shared prosperity with Taiwan.
Additional reporting by Kan Meng-lin
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