President Chen Shui-bian met with 7 Japanese commissioners of the East Asian Economic Caucus (EAEC) and 6 members of the Coordinating Council on Japan-Taiwanese Business Affairs on July 18 at the Office of the President. The president wished the two bodies' joint conference to be held in Tokyo at the end of this year a great success.
He also acknowledged the efforts of these two bodies in promoting economic and cultural exchanges between Taiwan and Japan.
While praising Japan's Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, under whose leadership the Japanese economy has grown for five consecutive quarters and the unemployment rate has declined to the lowest level in eight years, the president wished Koizumi's successor, to be chosen this coming September, to continue to maintain amiable relationship with Taiwan.
Japan is Taiwan's second largest trade partner and Taiwan is Japan's fourth, and their bilateral trade of 2005 reached as high as US$60.4 billion.
To conclude the meeting, the president thanked Japan for its support for Taiwan, including listing the Taiwan Strait as a common objective of the US-Japan Security Consultative Committee, showing disapproval over the European Union's contemplation to lift its arms embargo against China, and favoring Taiwan's bid to participate in the World Health Assembly on the basis that health knows no boundaries.
The Japanese guests' visit to the Office of the President was accompanied by Jeffrey Koo, EAEC's Taiwan chief commissioner. Mark Chen, Secretary-General to the President, was also present in the meeting.