Kaohsiung City councilors discuss links with Shanghai

This article was published by the Taiwan Headlines on April 3, 2006. It reports that a group of Kaohsiung City councilors recently went to Shanghai in an attempt to open discussions for cross-strait links between the two cities. The delegation would meet with Shanghai City Major and review the city's infrastructure. Upon their return to Taiwan, members of the delegation would propose a draft bill on direct links between Kaohsiung and Shanghai, in order to boost Kaohsiung's economy.

According to the delegation, direct transport between Kaohsiung and Shanghai could be implemented in three stages. First, direct sea links between ports in Kaohsiung and Yangshan and direct flights between the Kaohsiung International Airport and the Pudong Airport should be implemented for a trial period of a year. Second, direct flights should be established between the Kaohsiung International Airport and five Chinese airports, while direct shipping services should be established between Kaohsiung port and five Chinese ports, for a one-year trial. Finally, air and shipping links between Kaohsiung and China should be set up.

The delegation further proposed that a referendum should be held during the year-end Kaohsiung mayoral election in order to determine public opinion on whether to establish air and sea links with Shanghai.

However, responding to the aforementioned trip made by the Kaohsiung City councilors, the Mainland Affairs Council recently announced that any political party or private sector group must abide by Taiwan's laws if they intend to engage in cross-strait activities that require government authorization. Any agreement regarding the people and government of Taiwan, if reached between unauthorized private groups from Taiwan and the Chinese authorities, would be deemed invalid.