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President Tsai Ing-wen hosted a luncheon on October 10 at the Presidential Office for a congratulatory delegation from Japan visiting Taiwan to celebrate National Day. The delegation was headed by Mr. Keiji Furuya, a Member of Japan's House of Representatives and Chairman of the Japan-ROC Diet Members' Consultative Council. The president thanked the Consultative Council for passing resolutions this past March and May supporting Taiwan's participation in the World Health Assembly and other international organizations. She also expressed hope that the Consultative Council members will propose a bill in the Diet urging the Japanese government to begin talks with Taiwan regarding our admission to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) to spur an even closer Taiwan-Japan partnership.
A translation of the president's remarks follows:
On behalf of the government and people of Taiwan, I would like to extend a very warm welcome to all of our friends. Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedules to make a special trip to Taiwan to attend our National Day celebrations.
This year is the first year of Japan's Reiwa era, and under the leadership of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Japan has successfully hosted the G20 Osaka summit. And at the Rugby World Cup, the Japanese national team has won three straight matches and is headed toward the quarter-finals. These successes have attracted international attention, and there's more to come. Emperor Naruhito's Enthronement Ceremony is scheduled to take place in just a few days, and Tokyo will host the Olympic Games in 2020, and I wish you much success.
The General Association of Chinese Culture, of which I am chairperson, recently held a "Taiwan Plus" cultural activity at Ueno Park in Tokyo. The event, which attracted some 80,000 participants this time, has been getting bigger each year. I thank the many friends in Japan who have lent their assistance.
Taiwan and Japan are like good neighbors who live close by and enjoy close relations. Two-way tourism increases each year, as do investments. When one or the other of us is hit by a natural disaster, the people on the other side always give generously to support the recovery effort.
Over the past few years, Taiwan has achieved important progress in the areas of national defense, foreign relations, and the economy. But China continues to increase its pressure against us. Recently, for example, it has used various carrot and stick measures to poach some of Taiwan's diplomatic allies.
It is very heart-warming the way our Japanese friends have spoken out on our behalf. Your concern provides us with important source of support. I want to thank the Consultative Council for passing resolutions this past March and May supporting Taiwan's participation in the World Health Assembly and other international organizations.
As a proactive and responsible member of the international community, and an important part of Indo-Pacific strategy, Taiwan hopes to establish an active alliance with Japan so our two nations can jointly contribute more to the international community.
This past March, Taiwan, the United States, and Japan jointly held an activity in Taiwan under the auspices of the 2019 Global Cooperation and Training Framework. It was an important success that marked the beginning of a new era, and it showed the commitment and determination of Taiwan and Japan to cooperate on the international stage.
Recently, the US House of Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs passed the "TAIPEI Act," which is an acronym for "Taiwan Allies International Protection and Enhancement Initiative Act." This act supports the signing of a bilateral trade agreement between Taiwan and the US. I hope that Chairman Furuya and the Consultative Council will also speak on Taiwan's behalf in the Diet to call upon the Japanese government to enter into talks with Taiwan regarding our admission to the CPTPP. I strongly believe such talks would bring about a closer partnership between our two nations.
In closing, I welcome you all to Taiwan, and hope you will take full advantage of this trip to enjoy all that Taiwan has to offer. Thank you.
