Shanghai-Taipei Forum Sees Potential Change for Cross-Strait Tourism

TaiwanPlus News

The Taipei-Shanghai Twin Cities Forum kicked off with speeches that made small references to Chinese military activity around Taiwan and the potential for the restart of group tourism from Shanghai to Taiwan.

Transcript

00:00A goodwill forum between Taipei and Shanghai kicked off today.

00:04The first time the event has been held here in Taipei since the COVID-19 pandemic.

00:10Our reporter Chris Gorin has more from us from where the forum's being held.

00:14Chris, what can you tell us so far?

00:18Well, as you said, this is the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic that this forum

00:24has been held in Taipei.

00:27And with official diplomatic relations between Taiwan and China remaining closed, this is

00:32one of the highest-profile exchanges between the two sides that's still being held.

00:38Now, as a city-to-city exchange, present here are Taipei City Mayor Jiang Wen-an and Shanghai

00:44Vice Mayor Hua Yuan, along with about 90 other people from Shanghai who have come to this

00:50event.

00:51Now, in many ways, the events here today resemble the kind of city-to-city exchanges you might

00:56see anywhere in the world.

00:58There was an opening ceremony, there was some musical performances, and of course, speeches.

01:03But of course, the relationship between Taiwan and China is anything but normal.

01:08And during the speeches from the mayor and the vice mayor, you could see in small ways

01:13a little bit of that tension coming out.

01:17We are a family, and we have always come and gone, getting closer as we go, and getting

01:24closer as we go.

01:26I think we need more dialogue, less confrontation.

01:31More peace-loving olive juice, less conflicting sour grapes.

01:38A little bit more of the dazzling sunset of the fishing boat's lights, and a little less

01:43of the whistle of the ship's aircraft.

01:47Now, you could see a little bit in the last part of the Taipei Mayor's speech there that

01:52he is addressing, if gently, the issue of increased Chinese military activity around

01:58Taiwan.

01:59Now, China has been increasing its sea and air forces that patrol the areas around Taiwan

02:06in recent years, and it even ramped up its activity as recently as last week.

02:13But aside from that one comment, most of the comments from both speeches focused on increasing

02:18communications and dialogue between the two sides.

02:23And what about on the policy side?

02:25Were there any new agreements or initiatives announced at today's forum?

02:30Well, the two sides did sign a couple of MOUs on issues such as health care.

02:37The two city zoos may cooperate on some issues, for example.

02:42There was one not official policy pronouncement, but the Shanghai Vice Mayor did say that he

02:49would try to get Shanghai tour groups to come and visit Taiwan.

02:54Now, if he follows through on that, that would actually be a significant change, as at the

02:58moment Chinese tour groups can only visit Taiwan's outlying islands like Jinmen and

03:03Mazu.

03:05So, after this event, the Shanghai delegation will visit a couple of locations in Taipei,

03:12including the newly built Taipei Dome, and later this afternoon and early evening they

03:17will fly back to Shanghai.

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