At the time the two cases occurred, Li Yafei, vice-chairman of the mainland's Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Strait (ARATS), was visiting Kaohsiung City. Kaohsiung mayor Wu Tun-yi, and Hsieh Chang-ting, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) candidate for Kaohsiung City's upcoming mayoral elections, both personally asked Li to assist.
兩案事發當時，大陸海協會副秘書長李亞飛正在高雄訪問，高雄市長吳敦義、民進黨下屆高雄市長參選人謝長廷都曾當面請求協助。