TAIPEI (TVBS News) — As the Taipei-Shanghai Twin City Forum (雙城論壇) will take place next week, the Taipei City Government on Friday (Dec. 13) confirmed that a small advance team from Shanghai arrived at Taipei Songshan Airport (台北松山機場) at noon, preparing for the main delegation's visit.
The forum, scheduled for Tuesday, will welcome 102 delegates, including Shanghai's Vice Mayor Hua Yuan (華源), who will arrive on Monday. However, only over 90 participants from Shanghai received permits as of press time.
Taipei City Councilor Chin Huei-chu (秦慧珠) noted that the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC, 陸委會) denied entry to Jin Mei (金梅), the new director of the Shanghai Taiwan Affairs Office (上海市台辦), and nine Chinese journalists without explanation. Chin also mentioned that the advance team faced visa issues until Thursday afternoon.
The city government highlighted that the advance team, consisting of staff members, will conduct site inspections in the coming days. Earlier that day, Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) expressed his desire to reciprocate the hospitality he received in Shanghai last year, aiming for smooth municipal exchanges with the Shanghai delegation.
