On the afternoon of February 24th, President of the Republic of China (Taiwan) Lai Ching-te met with Japanese House of Representatives member Yuichiro Tamaki, expressing hopes for Taiwan and Japan to jointly establish a “Non-Red Supply Chain”, creating a mutually beneficial economic relationship and maintaining peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific and globally.
Accompanied by Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of China Lin Chia-lung and Secretary General of the Taiwan-Japan Relations Association Fan Chen-kuo, Japanese House of Representatives member Yuichiro Tamaki and representatives from the “Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association” office in Taipei visited President Lai at the Presidential Office in Taiwan.
During his speech, President Lai warmly welcomed Tamaki’s first visit to Taiwan, emphasizing that this is a crucial moment for cooperation between Taiwan and Japan. Lai expressed deep gratitude for Tamaki’s busy visit, showing support for Taiwan, and highlighted the significance of this visit.
Lai Ching-te mentioned that earlier this month, Japan and the United States held a summit, thanking the Japanese government for reaffirming in the joint statement after the summit the commitment to maintaining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, as well as emphasizing opposition to any unilateral actions to change the status quo by force or coercion, and supporting Taiwan’s international participation.
“As responsible members of the international community, Taiwan and Japan are pleased to see a strengthened and friendly relationship between Japan and the United States. We also hope that Taiwan, Japan, and the United States can work together to become a strong force for consolidating peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region,” said President Lai Ching-te.
President Lai pointed out, “In addition to the complex international situation, we also face the threat of the ‘Red Supply Chain’ from the Chinese Communist Party. More and more countries are concerned about economic security and supply chain resilience.” As authoritarianism gathers, democratic forces should be more united. Taiwan and Japan are important trade partners, and it is hoped that in addition to semiconductors, cooperation between Taiwan and Japan can be strengthened in the areas of hydrogen energy and unmanned drones to jointly establish a ‘Non-Red Supply Chain’, creating economic win-win situations and maintaining peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific and globally.
In conclusion, President Lai Ching-te once again welcomed Yuichiro Tamaki to Taiwan, hoping that his visit this time will be successful, leaving a profound impression on Taiwan and inviting him to visit again.
During his address, Japanese House of Representatives member Yuichiro Tamaki expressed gratitude for President Lai and government officials’ warm welcome on his first visit to Taiwan. He noted that Taiwan-Japan relations are closer than ever before, attributing this progress to President Lai’s strong promotion of Taiwan-Japan relations since taking office. He expressed admiration and gratitude for this initiative.
“The global situation is ever-changing, and Taiwan, Japan, and the Indo-Pacific region are experiencing significant shifts. I believe that Taiwan-Japan relations will further develop. As President Lai mentioned, the recent summit between Japan and the United States has achieved significant results, with a clear commitment to peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait in the joint statement by Japan and the United States, firmly opposing any attempt to unilaterally change the status quo through force or coercion,” Tamaki said.
Tamaki acknowledged that during the general election last year, the ruling Liberal Democratic Party and Komeito party did not secure a majority in the parliament, while his party, the National Democratic Party, saw its seats quadruple. Therefore, he feels a great responsibility and will continue to promote Taiwan-Japan cooperation and strengthen Taiwan-Japan relations in the future.