A high-ranking Chinese official has arrived in Taiwan to attend the 2016 Taipei-Shanghai Twin City Forum. The political propaganda official -- Sha Hailin -- arrived at around noon to attend the annual event on behalf Shanghai Mayor Yang Xiong.
The two cities have taken turns hosting the event since 2010.
Upon his arrival, Sha was met by angry protests organized by pro-independence activists. Protestors holding banners that read “refuse political propaganda” accused Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je of selling out Taiwan. That’s because China considers Taiwan part of its territory even though the two sides have been governed separately for decades.
Meanwhile, a group of indigenous people from Hsinchu County were also at the airport to extend a warm welcome to Sha. A village chief said he led members of the Atayal tribe to greet the official at the airport as a way of thanking the Shanghai City Government for donating a bus to the village.
Ko, an independent, said that Sha’s trip offered an opportunity. He said that only through exchanges can there be friendly gestures.