2025 Shanghai-Taipei City Forum Opens in Shanghai, Cooperation Agreements Signed

Shanghai, December 30. The 2025 Shanghai-Taipei City Forum opened today in Shanghai, during which cooperation agreements were signed in the fields of water management and vocational skills training.

At the forum’s opening ceremony, Shanghai Mayor Gong Zheng stated that this year’s forum, themed on how technology can change life, serves as a platform for sharing artificial intelligence (AI) application experiences and promoting win-win cooperation between the two cities in areas such as technology-driven urban governance, public safety, and social welfare.

He said, “The aim is to bring a tangible sense of gain, happiness, and security to our compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Strait.”

Gong invited Taiwanese compatriots to visit and explore Shanghai, pledging to provide “the best environment and services” to create development opportunities for them, and also offering a broad platform for Taiwanese youth.

Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an expressed his unwavering commitment to advancing the forum despite the fluctuations in the general situation.

He said, “I have always believed that engagement is better than confrontation, and dialogue is better than hostility.” He expressed hope for peace and prosperity across the Taiwan Strait.

Chiang shared examples of how Taipei has been using new technologies to improve people’s livelihoods, advocating for a people-centered approach to technology and striving to enhance the human touch in urban governance.

At three sub-forums, representatives from both cities shared their experiences and engaged in discussions on in-depth cooperation on topics such as technology-driven healthcare, rail transit, and healthy aging.

Established in 2010 and hosted alternately by Shanghai and Taipei, this forum has served as an important platform for dialogue to strengthen cross-strait connections. To date, the two cities have signed 49 agreements on exchange and cooperation.