Japan would welcome Taiwan’s participation in the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), Japanese Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) Youth Division director Norikazu Suzuki said at a meeting with President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) at the Presidential Office in Taipei yesterday.
The Youth Division has cooperated and promoted exchanges with Taiwan for more than 50 years, and will continue to uphold this tradition and bolster bilateral ties, said Suzuki, who arrived on Sunday as the leader of a 65-member LDP delegation.
As former Japanese prime minister Taro Aso, who was also a Youth Division director, said during his trip to Taiwan earlier this month, Japan and Taiwan will face various challenges side by side, Suzuki said.
Photo: CNA
Taiwan is an important partner which, like Japan, values democracy and human rights, he said, adding that the two sides have formed close economic and people-to-people ties.
The importance of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait was reaffirmed at the G7 summit in Hiroshima, Japan, in May, as it is closely linked to the interests of Japan and the world, he said.
The mainstream public opinion in Japan is that a unilateral change of the “status quo” in the Taiwan Strait is absolutely unacceptable, he said, adding that it is important to convey this message to the international community.
Regarding Taiwan’s application to join the CPTPP, the Youth Division will do its best to assist Taiwan in joining the bloc, he said.
Heading to Palau with a few delegation members and several Taiwanese legislators today, Suzuki said that he hoped that Japan and Taiwan could cooperate to facilitate peaceful and stable development in the Indo-Pacific region.
Welcoming the delegation to Taiwan, Tsai said she had told Suzuki when he visited Taiwan in May that Taiwan and Japan should work together to promote the participation of young people in politics.
Tsai thanked Tokyo for speaking up for Taiwan at international events and supporting its global participation.
The two countries are “good friends who support each other and important partners in fields such as trade, tourism and technology,” she said.
To tackle current global challenges such as climate change and disinformation, Taiwan and Japan can cooperate and share experience, she said, adding that she hoped to see young people participate in the process.
Taiwan has been learning from Japan to promote regional revitalization and assist young people in returning to their hometowns to work, Tsai said.
The president added that she hoped to see more interactions and discussions between young Taiwanese and Japanese on key issues.
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