TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) on Wednesday (June 14) denied it had been invited to China’s Cross-Strait Forum, though one party official is planning to attend on a personal basis.

China’s Taiwan Affairs Office (TAO) said earlier it had invited more than 5,000 Taiwanese to attend the 15th edition of the annual forum, opening Friday (June 16) in Fujian Province. Beijing mentioned a series of Taiwanese political parties as being invited, including the TPP.

However, a party spokesperson said the TPP had not received either a digital or a virtual letter of invitation, per CNA. The official in charge of the TPP committee for Taiwanese business people overseas, named as Ken Chang (張凱鈞), had received permission from the party to attend the forum on a personal basis.

Due to his position, Chang often has to interact with Taiwanese investors working in China, so he  applied for a place at the forum and received the go-ahead from the TPP leadership to travel to China, the spokesperson said.

The China policies of the party have come under public scrutiny as its founder and chair, former Taipei City Mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲), is running for president in the Jan. 13, 2024 election.