TPP delegation begins 1st official China visit since party's founding

Taipei, July 14 (CNA) A delegation from the opposition Taiwan People's Party (TPP), led by its Central Review Committee Chairman Lee Wei-hwa (李偉華), departed for Shanghai on Tuesday for a four-day visit, marking the party's first official exchange trip to China since it was founded in 2019.

Speaking to reporters at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport before departure, Lee said the visit aims to foster goodwill through exchanges and replace confrontation with dialogue.

The delegation comprises three party staff members and five members of the TPP's youth wing.

Lee said that amid growing cross-strait and international tensions, communication is especially important in times of division.

He reiterated the TPP's cross-strait stance of "Taiwan autonomy and cross-strait peace," saying the party seeks a pragmatic approach to reducing the risk of conflict while safeguarding Taiwan's democratic system and way of life.

Citing former TPP Chairman Ko Wen-je (柯文哲), Lee said goodwill promotes exchanges, contact reduces misunderstandings and dialogue increases mutual understanding, laying the foundation for stable and peaceful long-term cross-strait relations.

Noting that the two sides of the Taiwan Strait have different political systems as well as distinct economic and social backgrounds, Lee said peace requires sustained communication and effort. He cited the Taipei-Shanghai Twin-City Forum held during Ko's tenure as Taipei mayor as an example of dialogue fostering mutual understanding.

According to Lee, the delegation will visit major economic and historical sites, technology companies and youth entrepreneurship hubs in Shanghai. It will also hold discussions with students at Shanghai Jiao Tong University, with youth exchanges serving as the focus of the trip.

In response to the visit, Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) Deputy Minister Shen Yu-chung (沈有忠) said the government supports healthy and orderly cross-strait exchanges based on the principles of dignity, parity and absence of political preconditions.

However, Shen said exchanges should reflect Taiwan's mainstream public opinion rather than echo Chinese Communist Party or united front rhetoric, warning that doing otherwise would send misleading signals to the international community.

He also urged the TPP to comply with relevant regulations during the trip and expressed hope that Beijing would engage not only with Taiwan's opposition political parties but also with its democratically elected government.