Officials from China’s Taiwan Affairs Office (TAO) were not allowed to participate in the Two Lakes Forum in Nantou County to prevent “united front” activities, a source said yesterday.
The Two Lakes Forum — a reference to Nantou’s Sun Moon Lake (日月潭) and the West Lake in Hangzhou, China — is held annually and alternately by the Nantou County and Hangzhou city governments.
The forum, which started on Friday and is not open to the media, included a 38-person delegation led by Hangzhou Deputy Mayor Xu Weihua (胥偉華).
Photo courteys of the Nantou County Government
Attendees discussed topics such as culture, agriculture and tourism.
An official familiar with the matter said on condition of anonymity that although Beijing launched the “Joint Sword-2024B” military drills around Taiwan on Oct. 14, the Nantou County Government did not postpone the forum and still welcomed the Chinese officials to Taiwan.
The forum could be considered a warm-up for event the Taipei-Shanghai City Forum to be held in Taipei this year, but it has been kept low-key to avoid polarizing public opinions on both sides of the Taiwan Strait, they said, adding that it also helps protect the Chinese delegates.
To prevent Beijing from using the forum to engage in “united front” activities, the Mainland Affairs Council has requested that the Nantou County Government sign a letter of undertaking, pledging that the forum would not involve propaganda or activities that downgrades Taiwan’s national status, the official said.
The county government must also ensure that Chinese delegates not engage in unapproved activities and not be interviewed by news media, they said, adding that TAO officials were not allowed at the forum.
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