President Ma Ying-jeou met on the morning of February 4 with Tadashi Imai, the new Chief Representative of the Japan Interchange Association Taipei Office. During the meeting, the president stressed that the government of the ROC (Taiwan) hopes to discuss with Japan the possibility of striking a free trade agreement between the two.
President Ma opened the meeting by welcoming Chief Representative Imai to Taiwan and his new post, and affirmed that the ROC (Taiwan) attaches great importance to its relationship with Japan. Last year, he said, was designated as "The Year to Foster the Special Partnership between Taiwan and Japan." This year marks the second year of this initiative, and the government will continue to embrace this principle in promoting interaction and cooperation between the two countries. The president noted that former Chief Representative Masaki Saito made important contributions to enhancing relations between the two nations, and the Japanese government has once again dispatched a senior and outstanding diplomat to fill this post. President Ma expressed his appreciation in this regard, and he also said he hopes Mr. Imai is able to work together with Taiwan in forging even closer cooperation between the two countries.
President Ma commented that last year after the early August flooding and landslides in southern Taiwan caused by Typhoon Morakot, the government and people of Japan provided some 250 million yen in material aid. The president reiterated his gratitude for this gesture, furthermore saying that the ROC has always attached great importance to humanitarian relief activities. Recently, the government dispatched teams to Haiti to aid in the rescue and relief effort there. The Japanese government, he noted, also has provided assistance to Haiti.
With regards to the issue of security in East Asia, President Ma said that Taiwan realizes the importance of the Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security between the United States and Japan, as it serves as a crucial pillar in the security and stability of East Asia. Despite improving cross-strait relations and signing 12 agreements with mainland China, Taiwan has not neglected the security cooperation with the United States. Recently, the US government has responded to Taiwan's request for a second package of arms sales, including helicopters, missiles, and ships. This will help to further ensure Taiwan's security, he said. President Ma remarked that when the people of Taiwan have a sense of security and self-confidence, the nation will be even more willing to improve its relationship with mainland China. He also stressed that the government is pursuing a balance whereby it pursues a policy of peace and improves its relationship with mainland China. This is a positive development for Japan, Korea, and the nations of Southeast Asia, he said. The president said he hopes that Chief Representative Imai will fully convey the significance of this policy to the government and people of Japan.
In terms of Taiwan-Japan relations, the president remarked that last year saw significant progress. He said the government also hopes to be able to discuss the possibility of a free trade agreement with Japan. At present, Japan is Taiwan's second largest trading partner and Taiwan is Japan's fourth largest. The business sector and the public at large would benefit if the two sides further strengthened the trade and economic relationship. This should be a future objective of both sides, the president said.
Chief Representative Imai expressed his appreciation to President Ma for taking time out of his busy schedule to meet with him. He said he has a deep sense of the enormous honor and responsibility of representing the Taipei Office of the Japan Interchange Association, adding that he will do his utmost to promote further development of relations between Taiwan and Japan.
Chief Representative Imai also stated that mutual understanding is an important pillar in promoting relations between two countries. In this respect, he said, Taiwan and Japan already enjoy a solid foundation. In the future, he said he hopes to further strengthen mutual trust in order to enhance interaction and cooperation.