China's fourth-ranking official, Wang Huning, praised the "enthusiastic" participation of Taiwanese people at the Straits Forum, despite restrictions imposed by Taiwan's Democratic Progressive Party. The forum, Beijing's main platform for cross-strait people-to-people engagement, featured 58 events in Fujian province.
Actor Zhang Linghe, popular for his role in "The Legend of Zhuohua," attended the 18th Cross-Strait Forum in Xiamen. Dressed in a Zhongshan suit, he spoke about his career transition from engineering to acting and emphasized the unifying power of culture across the Taiwan Strait, inviting Taiwanese fans to visit the mainland.
KMT legislator Chen Yu-chen attended the Cross-Strait Forum in Xiamen and met with Chinese CPPCC Chairman Wang Huning. She presented three proposals: opening Kinmen to more mainland tourists, piloting a sales platform for Kinmen-Xiamen agricultural and fishery products, and seeking tariff reductions or exemptions for specific Kinmen-origin goods entering mainland China.
KMT legislators criticized the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) for using administrative means to restrict local government heads from attending the Cross-Strait Forum. They questioned the government's stance on democracy and cross-strait exchanges, demanding legal basis for the restrictions and accusing the MAC of political interference over public interest.
Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council prohibited local government officials from attending the upcoming Straits Forum in Xiamen, sparking a sharp retort from China's Taiwan Affairs Office, which accused the DPP administration of "fake democracy, true dictatorship." The MAC defended the ban, stating it prevents the impression of Taiwanese officials being lectured by Chinese leaders.
Taiwan has tightened restrictions on its officials attending the Straits Forum, a major cross-strait exchange event. Previously, only central government officials were banned, but now local government officials are also prohibited from attending, with the government labeling the forum as a "united front" platform.
Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) announced a ban on central and local government officials from attending the 18th Straits Forum in Xiamen, calling it a CCP united front platform. While the KMT will attend, officials like Taitung County Magistrate Rao Ching-ling will be denied permission to travel to China.
