Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je has arrived in Shanghai for the Taipei-Shanghai Twin City Forum, which will take place on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Ko spoke on Monday, the day of his departure, about the purpose of his trip.
“The original goal is to boost interaction and goodwill (between the two cities)," said Ko. "I hope that starting from this trip, we can build mutual trust." I believe that’s very important, because without it, both sides will be wary of one another, and that makes it difficult to get things done. It hurts efficiency.”
The possibility of Ko’s visit to Shanghai hit a stumbling block in the early stages, due to differences of opinion about the basis of cross-strait ties. But friendly gestures from both sides paved the way for the trip.
When asked how he would respond if he was referred to as the “mayor of Taipei, China”, Ko said he would not respond to hypothetical questions.
Ko is scheduled to meet with Shanghai Mayor Yang Xiong on Monday, and attend a welcome banquet in the evening. The forum, which begins on Tuesday, will focus on urban development and young entrepreneurs. Seminars will also cover culture, intelligent cities and medical services.
Ko is scheduled to tour a number of sights in Shanghai before returning to Taipei on Wednesday. His itinerary includes trips to a hospital, a youth entrepreneurship center, and the site of the First National Congress of the Communist Party of China, among other places.