Taiwan, US, Japan lawmakers participate in first trilateral strategy forum

2021/08/02

The inaugural edition of a trilateral strategy forum aimed at deepening cooperation and strengthening ties between Taiwan, Japan and the U.S. was held July 29, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
 
Initiated by Japan-ROC Diet Members’ Consultative Council Chairman Keiji Furuya, the event also marked the dialogue’s first virtual meeting for lawmakers from the three countries.
 
High-profile participants included Legislative Yuan President You Si-kun, U.S. Senators Bill Hagerty and Ed Markey, U.S. Representative Steve Chabot, and former Japan Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.
 
According to You, Taiwan is on the front line of China’s authoritarian expansionism. Deeper alliances with the U.S., Japan and other democracies spanning such areas as diplomacy, the economy and the military are critical to defending peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific, he added.
 
You took the opportunity to praise Japan for organizing the online forum and successfully hosting the Tokyo Olympics amid COVID-19. He also thanked Japan and the U.S. for timely donations of a combined 5.84 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines, adding that such goodwill gestures demonstrate the two countries are Taiwan’s real friends.

According to the MOFA, participants agreed on the importance of expanding multilateral cooperation to maintain cross-strait security and supporting Taiwan’s bid to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, as well as continuing the forum in coming years.
 
In a tweet on its official Twitter account, the MOFA said: “Great legislative minds tackled the big issues impacting #IndoPacific peace, stability & security at the 1st #Taiwan, #US, #Japan strategy forum. Our thanks to all participants, including @sikunyou, @SenatorHagerty, @RepSteveChabot, @Furuya_keiji & VVIP speaker @AbeShinzo.” 


Source: Taiwan Today (https://taiwantoday.tw/index.php)