2025 Shanghai-Taipei City Forum Highlights Tech-Driven Cooperation, Deepens Cross-Strait Ties

The 2025 Shanghai-Taipei City Forum, themed "Technology Changing Life," kicked off in Shanghai on Sunday with the signing of two memorandums of understanding (MOUs) to enhance cooperation and exchanges in water treatment and vocational training.

With these new agreements, the total number of cooperation MOUs inked via the forum now stands at 49 since its inauguration in 2010.

To further deepen sports ties, the sports bureaus of the two cities also exchanged invitations and complimentary entries for the Shanghai Marathon and Taipei Marathon during the event.

In his opening address, Shanghai Mayor Gong Zheng stressed that the forum, a key platform for Shanghai-Taipei cooperation, has borne witness to the profound cross-Strait friendship between the two cities that has endured the test of time.

He noted that this year's forum would facilitate the sharing of experiences and insights on AI applications, fostering win-win cooperation between the two city governments in tech-driven urban governance, public security and social welfare – all aimed at delivering tangible gains, happiness and security to compatriots across the Strait.

"Compatriots on both sides of the Strait are bound by blood and share a common destiny; frequent exchanges to strengthen ties are the shared aspiration of all," Gong stated.

He extended a sincere invitation to Taiwan compatriots to visit Shanghai more frequently, pledging that the city would offer an optimal environment and top-tier services to create development opportunities for Taiwan compatriots and businesses, while providing a broad platform for young people from Taiwan.

"The new era is a time of great development and achievement for the Chinese nation, and equally so for compatriots on both sides of the Strait," Gong added. "As long as we join hands and work in concert, we will undoubtedly build a bright future for the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation."

Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an noted that efforts to sustain the forum have been maintained amid volatile times, reiterating his belief that "engagement is better than resistance, dialogue is better than confrontation, understanding is better than misunderstanding, and interaction is better than conflict."

Chiang also shared examples of how Taipei has utilized new technologies to improve people's livelihoods, advocating for people-centered technology and striving to enhance the human touch in urban governance.

Three parallel subforums were held the same day, focusing on tech-enabled healthcare, rail transit and healthy aging. Experts and industry representatives from both cities exchanged experiences and explored avenues for in-depth cooperation.