President Tsai Ing-wen said Aug. 28 that Taiwan and Japan should expand cooperation and exchanges in an effort to more effectively manage challenges stemming from extreme weather.
Torrential rains recently lashed southern Taiwan and western Japan causing heavy flooding and loss of life, Tsai said. The time is ripe for both sides to collaborate on this critical issue for the safety and well-being of the people, she added.
Tsai made the remarks while receiving a delegation from the Japan House of Councilors led by Satoshi Nakanishi, a member of the Liberal Democratic Party and The Party for Japanese Kokoro, at the Office of the President in Taipei City.
According to Tsai, Taiwan and Japan enjoy robust relations and frequent people-to-people exchanges. This healthy state of affairs is further illustrated by the high number of reciprocal visits made by local government officials, as well as the more than 100 sister pacts signed to date by the two sides, she said.
These friendly interactions, Tsai said, illustrate the importance Taiwan and Japan place on safeguarding freedom, democracy, human rights, peace and prosperity. But the recent actions of China to suppress Taiwan’s international space are threatening the cross-strait status quo and impacting security and stability in East Asia, she added.
Taiwan will not yield to this pressure nor abandon its commitment to maintaining the cross-strait status quo, Tsai said, adding that she is grateful for Japan’s support of the country and looks forward to the two sides jointly addressing regional developments going forward. (SFC-E)
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