Premier Su Tseng-chang on Monday received a delegation of Japanese Liberal Democratic Party lawmakers led by House of Councillors Member Seko Hiroshige. The premier wholeheartedly welcomed the visit by allies of the late former Japanese prime minister Abe Shinzo and said he hoped to continue deepening and advancing the bilateral relationship.
Since 2016, Taiwan and Japan have signed more than 20 cooperation agreements and memorandums of understanding in areas including environmental protection, youth exchanges, education and culture. Taiwan stands ready to more actively participate in regional economic cooperation, and the premier hopes that on their return to Japan members of the delegation will continue to use their influence to assist Taiwan in its bid to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership and realize former prime minister Abe's vision of a "Free and Open Indo-Pacific."
Russia's invasion of Ukraine earlier this year is a matter of deep concern, as are the actions of other authoritarian states continuing down a path of military expansionism and threatening neighboring nations. Taiwan and Japan are on the frontline, occupying strategic positions within the first island chain. As liberal, democratic societies with a shared appreciation of universal values and human rights, Taiwan and Japan should cooperate closely to resist authoritarian military expansionism and uphold regional and world peace, the premier said.
Councillor Seko said in his remarks that Taiwan and Japan enjoy a close relationship, frequent economic and people-to-people exchanges, and common fundamental values such as freedom, democracy, human rights and the rule of law. The councillor said former prime minister Abe was a statesman who placed considerable importance on Taiwan-Japan ties, and we must therefore carry on his legacy and further enhance the relationship.
Councillor Seko said that former prime minister Abe worked to strengthen Japan's national security apparatus and together they actively promoted and bolstered work related to Japan's defense. The councillor expressed his sincere gratitude to the Taiwanese government for its swift affirmation of the Japanese government's recent approval of three key documents outlining Japan's new security strategy. He anticipates that Taiwan and Japan will continue to strengthen bilateral cooperation and relations in various fields.