Taiwan President Lai calls on Japan to strengthen cooperation
Taiwan President Lai Ching-te, during a meeting in Taipei with a Japanese cross-party parliamentary group, called for deepening cooperation between Taiwan and Japan in national strategy, economic and trade security, and high technology. The delegation was led by Haruo Kitamura, a member of Japan’s House of Councillors, Taipei Times reports.
Security in the Taiwan Strait
During the meeting on Tuesday, Lai said that the activities of the Association of Diet Members for Peace and Stability in the Taiwan Strait could increase the Japanese parliament’s attention to the situation in the strait. In his view, this would also help advance former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific region.
According to the Taiwanese president, China’s continued military drills, “gray-zone” tactics and transnational repression pose a combined threat to Taiwan and undermine regional security. He called on Japan and other democracies, together with Taiwan, to strengthen defense and deterrence capabilities to protect democracy, peace and prosperity.
Lai also said that Taiwan’s defense spending reached 3% of GDP this year and will remain above that level next year. According to him, the expenditure is expected to be raised to 5% of GDP by 2030. Taiwan is developing its defense industry, as well as capabilities in artificial intelligence and drones, and is working to create a resilient comprehensive national defense system, he added.
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Statements by Japanese lawmakers
Kitamura said the purpose of the delegation’s visit was to turn friendship between Taiwan and Japan into concrete action and further develop bilateral relations. He recalled that after the 2011 earthquake and tsunami in the Tohoku region, Taiwan sent disaster relief teams to Japan and collected 25 billion yen in donations.
According to Kitamura, if Taiwan faces a crisis, Japan will do everything possible to support it. He announced plans to promote Japanese counterparts to the Taiwan Travel Act and the Taiwan Relations Act, facilitate contacts between senior officials and develop defense cooperation. The lawmaker also plans to enlist like-minded parliamentarians to lobby for stronger Taiwan-Japan ties and for peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.
Separately, Japanese lawmaker Seki Hei, also known by his Chinese name Shi Ping, spoke in favor of restoring diplomatic relations between Taiwan and Japan at the Taiwan-Japan Foreign Affairs and Defense Forum in Taipei. He also supported the creation of an alliance involving Taiwan, Japan and the United States, and said he would promote a Japanese version of the Taiwan Relations Act to strengthen bilateral cooperation.
