The controversy surrounding the Taiwan Pavilion at the Gwangju Biennale is escalating.
On September 3, the city of Gwangju announced that a delegation from the Guangzhou People's Congress in China has abruptly canceled its visit to Gwangju, scheduled for September 6-7.
This cancellation appears to be a protest against the Taiwan Pavilion.
The delegation, consisting of six members including Li Haizhou, the secretary of the Guangzhou People's Congress, was set to visit Gwangju.
Guangzhou's People's Congress has maintained a friendly exchange agreement with the former Gwangju City Council since October 2012.
Reports indicate that the cancellation is not merely a schedule change but a boycott in response to the Taiwan Pavilion issue.
The delegation was originally scheduled to arrive at Incheon International Airport on September 6, travel to Muan, and attend a welcome dinner hosted by the Gwangju City Council chairman.
On September 7, they were to meet with Mayor Min Hyoung-bae for a discussion, tour the Gwangju Global Motors (GGM) and the Gwangju Biennale exhibition hall, and conclude their visit with a farewell dinner hosted by the council chairman before heading to Busan.
With the cancellation, all scheduled meetings with the mayor, council chairman, and two official dinners, as well as visits to industrial and cultural facilities, have been called off.
As for the Gwangju Biennale, which opens on September 5, the city of Zhoushan in Zhejiang Province, China, had planned to operate a promotional booth but has expressed intentions not to participate, prompting the organizing committee to seek to persuade them otherwise.
The controversy began with the exhibition name of the National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts. Initially titled 'Taiwan Pavilion,' it was changed to 'NTMoFA Pavilion,' but after backlash from the Taiwanese side, it was reverted back to 'Taiwan Pavilion' on August 25.
In response, Chinese Ambassador to South Korea, Wu Jianghao, expressed regret and concern to Mayor Min Hyoung-bae, and personnel for the Chinese exhibition halted their installation of artworks and withdrew.
As the situation worsened, the city of Gwangju and the Biennale Foundation reaffirmed their respect for the 'One China' principle, apologized for procedural shortcomings, and promised to implement measures to prevent recurrence.
Participation from the Chinese side in the Yeosu World Island Expo, set to open on September 5, has also become uncertain.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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