The fate of this year’s Taipei-Shanghai Twin City Forum will depend on last-minute decisions by officials on both sides of the Taiwan Strait. That’s the word from Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je on Monday.
The Taipei-Shanghai Twin City Forum is an annual meeting between government officials, business representatives, and student leaders from the two cities. The forum’s goal is to promote collaboration and exchanges between both sides. However, cross-strait communications have been cut since President Tsai Ing-wen took office in May, leaving the question of whether this year’s forum will continue.
Ko said during an interview that the decision on whether to hold this year’s forum is not his to make.
"[The decision] is outside my personal jurisdiction. I’m still asking our group in charge of mainland affairs to lay down the groundwork as planned," Ko said. "As to whether the forum will go ahead, and who [Shanghai] will send, I am guessing that it will all depend on decisions made in the last week [before the forum]."
Ko also said that Shanghai has not proposed that the two sides address any political issues at the forum. He said both sides have their own expectations, and should carry out talks on the basis of mutual acknowledgement, understanding, respect, and collaboration.