TAIPEI (TVBS News) — The Twin Cities Forum between Taipei and Shanghai will take place Dec. 27 and Dec. 28, Taipei City Councilor Tseng Hsien-ying (曾獻瑩) revealed Wednesday (Dec. 10). Shanghai will host this year's forum, focusing on AI and urban governance. The forum remains the only official platform for dialogue between Taiwan and China, expected to ease recent cross-strait tensions, with both sides sending top officials.
The forum has served as the highest-level official exchange between the two cities since its inception in 2010 during Hau Lung-bin's (郝龍斌) tenure as Taipei's mayor. It remains Taiwan's only direct communication channel with China, the People's Republic of China. Both sides have signed 47 memorandums of understanding, and the Taipei City Government plans to sign cooperative MOUs on water management and vocational training this year.
A recent poll conducted by Taipei's Research, Development, and Evaluation Commission (台北市政府研考會) revealed that 71% of Taipei residents agree that communication should increase amid tensions. The poll showed 64% support for exchanges between Taipei and Shanghai. Shanghai refers to Taipei's Youbike system to optimize its bike-sharing system, while Taipei improves its data center for urban governance by learning from Shanghai.
Tseng emphasized Taipei's advantage in integrating AI technology into municipal management, while Shanghai boasts rich experience in AI industry applications. He expressed hope Taipei's delegation can bring back Shanghai's AI application achievements to bolster the AI corridor in Beitou-Shilin Technology Park (北投士林科技園區). The initiative aims to accelerate the city's technological transformation and industrial upgrading.
Liang Wen-chieh (梁文傑), deputy minister and spokesperson of the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC, 陸委會), Taiwan's top agency handling cross-strait relations, noted during a recent press conference that Taipei City Government had previously withdrawn its application. Taipei must submit a new application should plans to participate proceed. Liang believes it wouldn't be an issue. ◼