Taiwan supports the US-initiated Indo-Pacific Strategy and a new regional trade arrangement led by Japan, and looks forward to working with the two nations to realize those initiatives, Vice President Chen Chien-jen (陳建仁) said yesterday.
Speaking at the opening of an international seminar in Taipei, Chen said that Taiwan was happy to see US President Donald Trump outline his vision of a “Free and Open Indo-Pacific” region during the APEC summit in Vietnam last month.
During the summit, 11 nations, led by Japan, signed the Comprehensive Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), Chen added.
Photo: George Tsorng, Taipei Times
The Democratic Progressive Party administration has demonstrated its commitment to increased regional and international cooperation and free trade since it took office in May last year, he said.
“We are looking forward to increasing cooperation and trade, and to strengthening ties with the Indo-Pacific region by mapping out a regional role for Taiwan through the New Southbound Policy,” he added.
While Taiwan looks to create prosperity in the region, it is equally concerned about regional security, he said.
“Taiwan remains ready, willing and able to help maintain regional order and we are working with our partners in response to the threat from North Korea by suspending shipping to that nation,” he said.
The South China Sea is another conflict point, Chen added.
“China continues to ignore a ruling by an international arbitration court in favor of the Philippines. In contrast, Taiwan is using Taiping Island [Itu Aba Island, 太平島] as a station for scientific research and humanitarian purposes,” Chen said.
Taiwan is to continue to monitor the situation and make sure freedom of navigation and overflight are maintained in the South China Sea, which is essential for regional security and a sustainable global economy, he added.
Chen made the comments during his opening address at the ROC (Taiwan)-US-Japan Trilateral Security Dialogue, an annual seminar organized by Taiwan involving the three nations.
The event is coorganized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in cooperation with the Taipei-based Prospect Foundation, the US-based Heritage Foundation and the Japan-based Sasakawa Peace Foundation.
Some of the key themes were common strategic interests in the Asia-Pacific region, changing security dynamics and strategic value in Taiwan, and prospects of non-traditional security cooperation, a ministry statement said.
Former White House chief of staff Reince Priebus delivered a speech at a closed-door luncheon during the one-day event, the ministry said.
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