Letschatstars.

Letschatstars.

Cultural and Media Summits to be Held in Beijing, Mainland Affairs Council Raises Concerns

Cultural and Media Summits to be Held in Beijing, Mainland Affairs Council Raises Concerns

On May 28 and 29, the second "Cross-Strait Chinese Culture Summit" and the sixth "Cross-Strait Media Summit" will be held in Beijing, China. In response, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) stated today (the 27th) that "China's use of various exchanges for unified front operations does not help to resolve the differences between the two sides and will not be recognized by Taiwanese society." The MAC also reminded Taiwanese individuals traveling to China to comply with legal regulations, "to avoid becoming a model for China's unified front propaganda and to jointly safeguard national sovereignty and dignity."

Regarding the two-day summits in Beijing, the MAC noted that "the government supports equal and dignified exchanges across the strait, promoting healthy and orderly interactions." However, it quickly pointed out that the "Cross-Strait Chinese Culture Summit" and the "Cross-Strait Media Summit" are merely under the guise of cultural and media exchanges, bringing Taiwanese media professionals and cultural figures to Beijing for instruction and guidance, which exceeds mere educational interactions, and is not welcomed by the government.

The MAC reiterated that cross-strait exchanges should be depoliticized and the risks minimized, avoiding political implications. It also stressed that Taiwanese participation in cross-strait activities should adhere to government regulations, and that there should be no unilateral signing of agreements or memoranda with the mainland, considering the perceptions of Taiwanese society, "to avoid becoming a model for the CCP's unified front propaganda and to jointly defend national sovereignty and dignity."