A delegation of Chinese officials, led by Shanghai Vice Mayor Hua Yuan, arrived in Taipei on Monday to participate in the annual forum between the two cities, News.bg reports.
The visit comes at a time of heightened military and political tensions between Taiwan and China. As part of the conflict, China considers Taiwan its territory and conducts regular military exercises around the island, with warplanes and ships in the area.
Visit protests and restricted access
As the delegation arrived at Songshan Airport, pro-Taiwan independence protesters expressed their opposition to the visit, chanting: "Taiwan and China are separate countries." They criticized China's military actions and refused to accept the visits as an act of goodwill.
Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an, a member of the Kuomintang party, expressed the view that such events are important to strengthen ties between Taiwan and China even during times of high tension. However, the Taiwanese government has imposed restrictions on the access of some of the delegation due to threats from China.
Mutual accusations and calls for the release of arrested citizens
Meanwhile, the Taiwanese government has called on China to release three Taiwanese citizens arrested for alleged links to an "underground cult". China claims that they were detained for organizing illegal religious activities.
Taiwanese President Lai Chin-te has reiterated his position that Taiwan's future should be determined solely by its people, while China has refused to negotiate with the island, calling it "separatist".