TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Shanghai's initiative to prepare a service manual for Taiwanese residents has sparked controversy over its unification agenda. Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) questioned the concerns on Wednesday (Dec. 18), stating, "A service manual for information is a united front? We must have confidence in ourselves."
The manual distributed at the Twin-City Forum a day earlier, which guides Taiwanese citizens in applying for Chinese residence permits, has faced criticism from the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP, 民進黨). They argue the forum has become a platform for unification efforts, especially after Zhu Fenglian (朱鳳蓮), the spokesperson of China's Taiwan Affairs Office (TAO, 國台辦), suggested the forum advances China's unification goals.
At the forum, Shanghai Vice Mayor Hua Yuan (華源) also announced plans to encourage Shanghai residents to visit Taiwan, with itineraries including Taipei. In response, Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council (MAC, 陸委會) reiterated the government's welcoming stance on Chinese tourists visiting Taiwan. Mayor Chiang expressed a positive outlook on Shanghai's tourism initiatives, emphasizing that Taipei's government supports efforts to boost tourism and economic vitality across the island.
