Taipei City Government

Mayor Ko Wen-je delivered an address at the Taipei-Shanghai Forum in Shanghai on August 18. This is his first trip to the Chinese city since he assumed office.

He began with remarks to reassure the long lasting friendship between Taipei and Shanghai in the changing world. The Taipei-Shanghai Forum will continue to play the role as a platform for innovative exchange between the two metropolises, according to the mayor.

Laying out his vision for the capital of the island in 2050, Ko noted that Taipei will seek to implement plans in the spirit of public participation and open government. He emphasized the three elements in policy formulation — public opinion, professionalism, and value.
Ko stated that this year the city forum will set a new model for cooperation between public and private sectors through four symposiums, attended mostly by people from non-government backgrounds. He took the opportunity to thank Shanghai City Government for accommodating the 130-strong delegation from Taipei City.
Speaking of memorandums to be signed by the two sides, Ko pointed out that the experience-sharing on public affairs and electronic ticket system will be the highlights, in addition to administrative exchange. Taipei Easy Card Corporation has issued a special-edition EasyCard for the Taipei-Shanghai Forum, signaling possible collaboration in transportation smart cards between the two cities in the future.
Ko stressed that Taipei will continue to engage with Shanghai--a first-tier city in one of the world’s biggest economies--based on cultural affinity and “four mutual values”—mutual recognition, mutual understanding, mutual respect, and mutual cooperation. He reckoned that Taipei will seek to promote exchanges and increase goodwill among people on the two sides of the straits based on these principles. This forms the core of his ‘2015 New Perspective.’

Expressing his interest in visiting some of the iconic historical sites in Shanghai, Ko remarked that men are insignificant in the face of buildings bearing historical marks. Therefore, we should treat each other with a humble heart and pursue the path of peace through forging cross-strait ties.