TAIPEI: The mayor of Taiwan's capital told visiting Chinese officials on Tuesday (Dec 17) he hoped for peace and wanted less of the "howls of ships and aircraft" around the island, saying dialogue trumps confrontation. China, which views democratically-governed Taiwan as its own territory, sends warplanes and warships near the island on an almost daily basis, and held a new round of mass military activities last week . Addressing the annual Taipei Shanghai City Forum with Shanghai Vice Mayor