Taipei: The Taipei-Shanghai Twin-City Forum is poised to take place in mid-December in Taipei, with approximately 100 representatives from Shanghai expected to attend, as announced by Taipei City Government Secretary-General Lee Tai-hsin on Thursday. The event will be hosted at the Regent Taipei and will feature a main forum under the theme “New Pulse and New Future,” accompanied by three secondary forums focusing on “friendly transportation,” “river management,” and “cultural tourism,” Lee disclosed.

According to Focus Taiwan, the Shanghai delegation will consist of one main group and three sub-groups, comprising around 100 participants. The main group will include about 20 individuals, while the sub-groups will consist entirely of professionals. Taipei is hopeful that the highest-ranking official from Shanghai participating in the forum will be at least a deputy mayor. Arrangements have been made for the visiting professionals to explore various local sites, with details pending approval from the Mainland
Affairs Council.

Lee further elaborated that details regarding the city government’s forum plans, including personnel assignments, main forum themes, and the implementation status of previously signed memorandums of understanding, will be presented to the Taipei City Council’s Civil Affairs Committee next week. Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an remarked on Thursday that discussions about the forum’s specifics are ongoing. He stressed the importance of dialogue amidst tense cross-Taiwan Strait relations, asserting that communication fosters positive impacts on cross-strait relations.

In response to media queries during a city council meeting, Chiang reiterated the significance of the Twin-City Forum. Sources familiar with the event indicated that some Shanghai professionals attending the cultural and tourism-focused secondary forum will visit notable sites including the Taipei Dome and Taipei Music Center.