TAIPEI (TVBS News) — The Taipei City Government has expressed concerns that President Lai Ching-te's (賴清德) recent characterization of mainland China as a "hostile foreign force" could jeopardize the upcoming "Twin Cities Forum" (雙城論壇) in Shanghai. Officials note that several planned cross-strait events, including dragon boat races and the World Masters Games (世壯運), now face heightened uncertainty as they await central government approval.
Wang Chiu-tung (王秋冬), commissioner of Taipei's Department of Information and Tourism (台北市觀傳局), sought to reassure the public that the Twin Cities Forum would proceed according to established protocols. He emphasized that dialogue becomes even more essential during periods of increased tension between Taiwan and mainland China. According to Wang, if the forum follows its typical scheduling for July or August, preliminary communications would normally begin by late March or early April.
Wang clarified that Shanghai will host this year's forum, with Taipei planning to send a delegation to participate. He underscored the mutual benefits the event brings to both cities, suggesting the importance of maintaining this channel of communication despite the political headwinds.
Taipei City Government Deputy Spokesperson Yeh Hsiang-yuan (葉向媛) reinforced the municipal nature of the "Twin Cities Forum," characterizing it as a city-to-city exchange between Taipei and Shanghai rather than a national-level political engagement. The city government intends to submit the necessary applications to Taiwan's central government, believing the forum aligns with President Lai's stated vision for "healthy and orderly" cross-strait relations.
The situation has drawn sharp criticism from opposition politicians. Kuomintang (KMT, 國民黨) Councilor Chang Szu-kang (張斯綱) accused President Lai of deliberately constricting cross-strait interactions, comparing the current atmosphere to Taiwan's former "martial law" period. Chang questioned whether the Twin Cities Forum could proceed without interference from the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC, 陸委會), suggesting the central government might obstruct the municipal exchange.
Chang's criticism extended beyond the forum itself. He pointed to what he described as Lai's broader opposition to various forms of cross-strait engagement, including religious and academic exchanges, as well as interactions with Hong Kong and Macau. The KMT councilor further alleged that Lai's restrictive cross-strait policies serve a political purpose — to paint opposition parties as collaborators with the Chinese Communist Party in an effort to consolidate voter support for his administration.
