TAIPEI (TVBS News) — The Mainland Affairs Council (MAC, 陸委會) announced on Wednesday (Dec. 11) that the Taipei-Shanghai Twin-City Forum (雙城論壇) will proceed as planned, with Shanghai Vice Mayor Hua Yuan (華源) and his delegation arriving on Dec. 16 and attending the forum on Dec. 17 before returning to Shanghai.
The forum aims to foster collaboration, including a potential breeding program between Taipei Zoo's eight fertile red pandas and those from Shanghai Zoo. This genetic matching and breeding initiative could benefit the endangered red panda, with fewer than 10,000 remaining globally.
MAC Deputy Minister Liang Wen-chieh (梁文傑) stated at a Wednesday afternoon press conference that despite recent tensions caused by China's deployments around Taiwan, the Taipei City Government believes the forum is necessary. To uphold principles of equality and dignity, one of Taipei's three deputy mayors is expected to greet the Shanghai delegation upon their arrival.
This year's forum, themed "Smart Governance, Sustainable Future" (智慧治理 永續未來), features three sub-forums: friendly transportation, river management, and cultural cities. Taipei will showcase its achievements in sewage treatment and river management, while the cultural cities forum will focus on preserving historical sites like Dadaocheng and Wanhua's Bopiliao.
