Foreign Minister Jaushieh Joseph Wu called on Japan and other members of the democratic world to continue expanding cooperation with Taiwan to check authoritarian expansion in the Indo-Pacific and beyond.
At the same time, Wu said that Taiwan’s military reform is one way the country continues to strengthen its defense capabilities in order to safeguard its sovereignty and democratic way of life.
The minister made the remarks during an exclusive interview with Gabriel Dominguez for a story published March 24 on the front page of Tokyo-based English daily The Japan Times. According to Wu, Japan is a favorite country among the people of Taiwan, which is borne out in the frequent and friendly exchanges between the two nations, as well as their steadily growing trade and investment ties.
The two partners also collaborate in areas such as cybersecurity, countering disinformation, disaster management, humanitarian aid and maritime safety under the Global Cooperation and Training Framework, the minister added.
Wu said many countries have followed Japan’s example of developing closer relations with Taiwan by sending delegations. These friends come to stand on Taiwan’s soil and show their support in the face of threats from China, he added.
Given the increasing strategic challenges from Beijing, the minister applauded Japan’s decision to strengthen its defense capabilities and assume a greater role in its alliance with the U.S., a partnership which is commonly regarded as the bedrock of peace and stability in the region. (SFC-E)
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