Shanghai pandas to arrive in Taiwan; politician says exchanges need no political preconditions

Taipei and Shanghai have agreed to a species exchange, with two giant pandas from Shanghai set to arrive in Taiwan on June 6. Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an hailed the pandas as a concrete outcome of the Taipei-Shanghai Twin Cities Forum, recalling his proposal to introduce pandas from Shanghai during his 2023 visit.

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The Twin Cities Forum should be the floor, not the ceiling. Taiwan can actually exchange with countries around the world and exchange ideas on animal conservation.

However, Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Taipei mayoral candidate Shen Po-yang argued that such exchanges should not be politically conditional. He pointed out that Taiwan also exchanged pandas with Japan this year, demonstrating that cross-border cooperation on conservation is possible without political strings attached.

"The Twin Cities Forum should be the floor, not the ceiling," Shen stated. "Taiwan can actually exchange with countries around the world and exchange ideas on animal conservation." He stressed that normal exchanges, whether between cities or nations, should not require political preconditions.

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We do not need to create such limitations, and even more so, we do not need exchanges that require political preconditions.

Shen further emphasized that Taiwan's exchanges with other countries, like Japan, on conservation matters are already routine and do not necessitate the framework of the Twin Cities Forum. He expressed concern that exchanges based on political conditions or national security threats are problematic.

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Taiwan's exchanges with the world, and the exchange and conservation of animals, are already very normal. Taiwan can communicate with countries around the world, and it is a 'painless' exchange that does not require political preconditions. This is normal city and national exchange.