Taipei Mayor Jiang Wan’an held the 2024 Twin Cities Forum for the first time during his tenure today (17th). However, the Chinese Communist Party continued to send military planes and ships to harass Taiwan. The Ministry of National Defense of the Republic of China announced that a total of 17 Communist aircraft and ships have been detected continuing activities around the Taiwan Strait from 6 a.m. on the 16th to 6 a.m. today.
The Taipei-Shanghai Twin Cities Forum took place today at the Regent Taipei Hotel. During his speech, Jiang Wan’an mentioned the “elected mayor” and the need for “a little less noise of ships and planes.”
Shanghai Vice Mayor Hua Yuan claimed at the Twin Cities Forum today that “people on both sides of the strait have always been one family.” This statement was refuted by the Mainland Affairs Council. The Council stated that if they were family, they should get along well, but in the past few days, Chinese military aircraft continued to harass Taiwan.
Taipei City Councilor Chen Yijun pointed out that the suffering of Taiwanese people detained in China cannot be expressed simply with officials clinking glasses at a Twin Cities Forum. She questioned whether the Chinese Communist Party’s attacks and military intimidation towards Taiwan, with routine provocations of military aircraft and ships, align with the notion of both sides being one family.
Chen Yijun stated that although Jiang Wan’an emphasizes the importance of cross-strait relations, the Chinese Communist Party has failed to make a positive response towards cross-strait peace. Instead, on one hand, they have increased the scale of military planes and ships, and on the other hand, they manipulate the narrative of “both sides being one family” to encroach on Taiwan’s sovereignty. If there is truly a sense of being one family on both sides, officials from Shanghai should demand the Chinese government reduce the frequency of military aircraft and ships harassing Taiwan after returning home. This would demonstrate that the Twin Cities Forum is helpful for cross-strait peace.
The Ministry of National Defense of the Republic of China today released information about the Chinese military’s activities around the Taiwan Strait, reporting that from 6 a.m. on the 16th to 6 a.m. today, a total of 10 communist aircraft (with 4 entering into the northern, central, and southwestern airspace after crossing the median line of the Taiwan Strait) and 7 ships have been detected continuing operations around the Taiwan Strait. The national defense forces closely monitor and respond using aircraft, ships, and shore-based missile systems.
Taiwan’s Forward Alliance, Green Party, New Power Party, Northern Society of Taiwan, and Taiwan Independence Union were all present at the scene today to protest and hold a press conference. They believe that the Twin Cities Forum today is the most notable united front activity since Ma Ying-jeou’s Young Visitors’ Group visit to Taiwan and the Cross-Strait Entrepreneurs Summit held in Xiamen, China. They chanted slogans such as “Reject united front, Chinese Communist Party get lost” and “No equality, no exchange,” with the overall process being generally peaceful.