TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Edinburgh has reportedly shelved plans for a friendship agreement with Kaohsiung due to fears that it would anger China.

Scotland's capital city planned to establish a friendship deal with Kaohsiung but concerns from Edinburgh's business community and other sectors about a potential backlash from Beijing have forced the plan to be put on hold, reported the Financial Times on Monday (June 24). 

Kaohsiung City Government on Tuesday (June 25) said it would continue to interact with cities that share democratic values to expand urban diplomacy.

Chang Yen-ching (張硯卿), director of the Kaohsiung City Government's Department of Administrative and International Affairs, said the southern city wants substantive cooperation in a number of fields, reported CNA. 

The Financial Times reported there were concerns that establishing a friendship agreement with Kaohsiung could hurt. A source familiar with the discussions told the Financial Times, “We’ve spent years building up the relationship with China" and “it just isn’t worth jeopardizing it all over a friendship agreement."

Edinburgh News reported the Chinese Consul General warned of “dire consequences” if the agreement was approved. 

Edinburgh Airport said that a better understanding of the potential risks is needed for all parties to make a fully informed decision regarding the city friendship plan.

Another person familiar with the city council's proposal said the city-to-city friendship plan with Kaohsiung did not involve any politically sensitive content. 

Edinburgh City Council leader Cammy Day said, “Having taken on board the views of the business community and other partners, we’ve decided that more discussion is required before taking this agreement forward." 

Day visited Kaohsiung in March last year and met with Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chi-mai (陳其邁). This was the first in-person meeting between Day and Chen. They had previously met via video conference in October 2022.

In July last year, Day mentioned at the opening of a Taiwan literature exhibition that his city is interested in establishing an "Innovation Twins" relationship with Kaohsiung or Taipei.

According to the Financial Times, China is the fifth largest source of international visitors for Scotland. In addition, in the 2021-2022 academic year, out of approximately 150,000 Chinese students in the UK, around 21,000 were studying in Scotland.