Office of the President Republic of China(Taiwan)

President Tsai Ing-wen met on the afternoon of September 20 with a delegation from Japan led by Akahisa Nagashima, a member of the House of Representatives and Democratic Party (DP) policy committee. The president opened by giving her guests a warm welcome, and also expressed hope for the continued strengthening of Taiwan-Japan exchanges and cooperation in the future.

In remarks, the president stated that her Democratic Progressive Party's (DPP) return to power following this year's presidential election presents a new opportunity in Taiwan-Japan relations. Both countries, she said, can strengthen exchanges at all levels to take bilateral relations to unprecedented new heights.

Turning to external economic and trade policy, the president noted that the current administration is vigorously promoting its New Southbound Policy. That initiative will use Taiwan's existing advantages to strengthen exchanges, and increase economic and trade interaction, with Southeast Asian and South Asian countries. Given Japan's extensive experience in that area, the president hopes to exchange ideas, and collaborate with Japan to implement selected New Southbound Policy projects.

The president then cited concrete examples of such projects, stating that Taiwan can strengthen exchange programs in higher education with Southeast Asian countries, giving students from those countries an opportunity to study in Taiwan and also gain practical experience in industry settings. That Taiwan-trained talent, she believes, will help expand business opportunities for Taiwan enterprises in Southeast Asia. She also said Taiwan's agricultural and fisheries industries can invest in Southeast Asia, providing products that can meet regional demand or even be marketed worldwide. The president thus hopes to join forces with Japan's industrial sector, working together to develop markets in the future.

The president also stated that Taiwan is seeking to participate more fully in regional economic integration, and is thus actively pursuing membership in the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP). She expressed gratitude for the long-term, cross-party support of those efforts by Japan's public and private sectors. The president expressed hope that Japan will continue to help Taiwan participate in the second round of TPP negotiations, and that bilateral discussions on an economic partnership agreement (EPA) can begin soon to promote Taiwan-Japan economic and trade cooperation.

As the DP recently elected a new party leader on September 15, the president also expressed congratulations to Renho, a member of the House of Councillors whose father was Taiwanese, on her victory. The president also asked Representative Nagashima to convey her regards and best wishes to all of the candidates who participated in the election.