Taiwan committed to boosting ties, economic collaboration with Japan

2017/08/28

President Tsai Ing-wen said Aug. 24 that the government is committed to further deepening Taiwan-Japan ties, maintaining regional peace and stability as well as achieving greater prosperity for both nations through expanded economic collaboration.
 
 Tsai made the remarks while receiving Yasuaki Tanizaki, the recently appointed president of the Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association, at the Office of the President in Taipei City.
 
 According to the president, the mutual respect between the two sides was underscored with the renaming of Japan’s representative office in Taiwan from the Interchange Association, Japan to the Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association in January. The following May, Taiwan’s Association of East Asian Relations changed its name to the Taiwan-Japan Relations Association.
 
 Tsai also noted the March visit of Japan’s Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications Jiro Akama, the highest ranking Japanese official to visit Taiwan since 1972. She said that such visits highlight strong bilateral ties that augur well for future development.
 
 A total of six million people traveled between the two nations last year, Tsai said, adding that the government is working on ways to make it even easier for Japanese nationals, who currently enjoy visa-exempt entry privileges, to visit Taiwan.
 
 The president thanked Japan for its unwavering support of Taiwan’s participation in international organizations such as the International Civil Aviation Organization and the World Health Organization. Through enhanced economic collaboration with Japan, Taiwan will be able to play a greater role in regional economic integration, she noted.
 
 According to Tsai, Taiwan is also working to expand its presence in the region through long-term efforts such as the New Southbound Policy. She said she hopes Taiwan and Japan can find more areas for collaboration in South and Southeast Asian markets.
 
 A key plank of Tsai’s national development strategy, the initiative aims to deepen Taiwan’s ties with the 10 Association of Southeast Asian Nations member states, six South Asian countries, Australia and New Zealand in areas spanning agriculture, business, culture, education, tourism and trade.

Source: Taiwan Today (http://taiwantoday.tw/news.php?unit=2&post=120524)