TAIPEI (Reuters) – A delegation of Chinese officials led by a deputy Shanghai mayor arrived in Taipei on Monday for an annual city-to-city forum, a rare visit happening at a time of heightened Taiwan-China military and political tension.
China, which claims the democratically governed island as its territory, last week carried out large-scale military activities near Taiwan, and regularly sends fighter jets and warships into the skies and waters around the island.
Shanghai Vice Mayor Hua Yuan arrived at Taipei’s downtown Songshan airport to attend Tuesday’s Taipei-Shanghai City Forum, which was first held in 2010, and did not answer questions shouted at him by reporters.
A small group from the pro-independence Taiwan Republic Office shouted “Taiwan and China, separate countries” as he left the airport.
“There is no goodwill. The communist bandits continue to hold military drills,” Chilly Chen, head of the group, told Reuters.
Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an, from the main opposition Kuomintang party that traditionally favours close ties across the strait although it denies being pro-Beijing, has said visits like this are needed more than ever at times of tension.
Chiang, who visited Shanghai last year for the same city forum, will host Hua at a banquet in the evening.
Taiwan’s government last week blocked some members of the Shanghai delegation from attending, saying given China’s stepped up military threats it had to take into account “the overall situation” when granting permission for the visit.
Adding to the drama, Taiwan’s government on Friday demanded China release three members of a Taiwanese religious group arrested while in the country. China says they are suspected of organising an underground cult.
Taiwan’s China-policy making Mainland Affairs Council said on Monday the government was showing goodwill by allowing the forum to take place even in the face of the “still serious situation across the Taiwan Strait”.
Taiwan’s government has called for new talks with China but Beijing refuses to engage with President Lai Ching-te, calling him a “separatist”.
Lai says only Taiwan’s people can decide their future.
(Reporting by Ben Blanchard; Editing by Raju Gopalakrishnan)
