Beijing mayor to visit Taiwan

Beijing mayor Guo Jinlong will visit Taiwan from Feb. 16-21, a spokesperson said Wednesday.

Guo, also deputy secretary of the Beijing Municipal Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC), will head a Beijing delegation to attend a culture week in Taiwan, spokeswoman Fan Liqing of the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office said at a press conference.

The visit is expected to improve Beijinger's understanding of Taiwan society and push forward cultural and economic exchanges between Taiwan and Beijing, Fan said.

Guo planned to visit a bookstore in Taipei, meet students of Taiwan University and travel to villages inhabited by ethnic minorities, she said.

The Beijing culture week will include Peking opera and other theater performances as well as exhibitions.

Since 2008, a number of provincial delegations from the mainland have visited Taiwan. They have played a positive role in improving mutual understanding and warming up cross-Strait relations, Fan said.