Premier Lai Ching-te attended a fourth exchange summit between Taiwan and Japan in Kaohsiung on Saturday, saying that as nations prone to frequent earthquakes, Taiwan and Japan can actively cooperate on disaster relief and emergency response work to reduce the impact of earthquakes, typhoons and other such natural disasters. The premier also pointed to joint efforts between Taiwan and Japan in engaging with countries targeted by the New Southbound Policy as a means of increasing private-sector exchanges, strengthening bilateral friendship, and helping bring peace and prosperity to the international community.
Citing U.S. President Donald Trump's Indo-Pacific strategy encompassing the U.S., Japan, India and Australia; Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's own active engagement with India and Southeast Asia; as well as President Tsai Ing-wen's New Southbound Policy for Taiwan, Premier Lai anticipated that in the future Taiwan and Japan will further advance cooperation in the area of industrial and economic development in countries covered by the New Southbound Policy.
The premier also expressed hope that the Japanese government and the Japan-Taiwan Parliamentary Friendship Consultation Association will assist Taiwan gain a seat at the second round of accession talks for the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, giving Taiwan and Japan further opportunity to cooperate on promoting economic development.
Following Frank Hsieh's appointment as Taiwan's representative in Japan, relations between Taiwan and Japan have grown steadily closer, said Premier Lai. The two countries have signed 32 friendship agreements as part of exchanges that saw 14 mayors and county magistrates from Taiwan visit Japan in 2017, and 23 mayors and prefectural governors from Japan reciprocate. With some 6.46 million trips taken by private citizens between Taiwan and Japan last year, the premier said that the number is only likely to grow in the future.