China representative met with protests on visit to Taiwan

TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — A visit by a Chinese official at the invitation of the Taiwanese capital’s newly elected China-friendly mayor has drawn protests on the self-ruled island. The head of Shanghai city’s Taiwan Affairs Office arrived Saturday, marking a rare point of contact between the sides. China deems Taiwan a part of its territory to be conquered by force if necessary and has been courting pro-Chinese media and politicians on the island to further its unification agenda. The vast majority of Taiwanese back the status quo of de-facto independence while maintaining close economic and social ties with the mainland. Taiwan’s democratic system allows local governments to act beyond central government authority and Taipei recently elected a mayor from the opposition Nationalist Party.