President Tsai Ing-wen received a Japanese parliamentary delegation at the Presidential Office Oct. 10 in Taipei City, pledging to deepen cooperation with the steadfast partner.
Led by Keiji Furuya, chair of the Japan-ROC Diet Members’ Consultative Council, the 19-member group arrived Oct. 8 for a three-day visit to attend the Double Tenth National Day celebrations.
According to Tsai, Taiwan and Japan share the universal values of freedom, democracy, respect for human rights and the rule of law. These values lay the foundation for bilateral relations and strengthen the partnership, she added.
In the face of post-pandemic era challenges, the government is committed to working with like-minded partners such as Japan, the U.S. and countries across Europe to realize a free and open Indo-Pacific, she added.
Tsai thanked the council for greenlighting resolutions to support Taiwan’s international participation. She also looked forward to boosting further Taiwan-Japan exchanges after the country reduces its travel restrictions Oct. 13.
In response, Furuya expressed appreciation for Tsai’s dispatch of former Legislative Yuan President Wang Jin-pyng, Taiwan-Japan Relations Association Head Su Jia-chyuan and Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Japan Representative Frank Hsieh to attend former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s funeral. Furuya added he was touched by Tsai’s national day address, citing the president’s remarks on the necessity of safeguarding Taiwan’s freedom and democracy while maintaining both cross-strait and global peace.
Earlier in the day, President Tsai and Vice President Lai ching-te met with over 150 members of the foreign diplomatic corps, foreign organizations in Taiwan and guests from around the world who came to attend the celebrations. These include Palau’s President Surangel Whipps Jr.; U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Science, Space and Technology Chairwoman Eddie Bernice Johnson; Canada’s Member of Parliament and Chair of the Standing Committee on International Trade Judy Sgro; Member of the Indian Parliament Sujeet Kumar; Dean of the Diplomatic Corps and St. Vincent and the Grenadines Ambassador Andrea Clare Bowman; and representatives of foreign organizations such as Australia, France, Germany, Japan, Singapore, the EU, the U.K. and the U.S.
Foreign Minister Jaushieh Joseph Wu hosted a banquet for guests from 48 countries. In a tweet on its official Twitter account, the MOFA said: “Minister Wu hosted our National Day reception at historic #Taipei Guest House. @iingwen, @ChingteLai & VIP guests shared #Taiwan cuisine & magically atmospheric performances. It is a joy to celebrate our #IslandofResilience with good friends.” (YCH-E)
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