President Lai meets study delegation from...

On the afternoon of August 20, President Lai Ching-te met with a study delegation from the Youth Division of the Liberal Democratic Party of Japan (LDP). In remarks, President Lai said that the friendship between the LDP and Taiwan goes back over half a century, and the LDP Youth Division has played a key role in the relationship. He expressed hope that democratic partners like Taiwan and Japan can continue to cooperate in supporting the democratic umbrella, facing the challenges of expanding authoritarianism together while deepening our ties and establishing a closer partnership.

A translation of President Lai's remarks follows:

First, I would like to welcome you all to the Presidential Office. I remember meeting this past April with another visiting group from the LDP Youth Division led by Director Suzuki Takako. On that occasion, Director Suzuki, acting on behalf of the LDP, presented then-President Tsai Ing-wen with an inventory of donations that the people of Japan had made to support recovery efforts in Hualien after the earthquake. Our visitors this time are going to Hualien to see how the reconstruction efforts have progressed, and to help promote tourism in Hualien. We truly appreciate this gesture, and on behalf of the people of Taiwan, I want to extend our deepest gratitude.

This month, Japan was hit by a 7.1-magnitude earthquake. The people of Taiwan were very concerned upon hearing this news, and we hope that those affected can get back to ordinary life as soon as possible. Such mutual concern and close assistance are truly the cornerstone of our bilateral relationship. I firmly believe, just as Prime Minister Kishida Fumio has said, that the deep emotional bond between Taiwan and Japan will only continue to deepen in the future.

The depth of the friendship between Taiwan and Japan shows through in times of hardship, and furthermore, we have a shared destiny. We are both located on the first island chain. Together, we face the challenges of expanding authoritarianism. I thank the government of Prime Minister Kishida and the larger Japanese political community for supporting Taiwan. On more than one occasion, Prime Minister Kishida has publicly emphasized at different international venues that peace and prosperity in the Taiwan Strait are a critical component of global peace and prosperity. I believe such statements have meant a lot to Taiwanese society and our people.

In the future, Taiwan will continue to strengthen its national defense capabilities and enhance its economic resilience in order to ensure national security and maintain regional peace and stability. I also hope that democratic partners like Taiwan and Japan can continue to cooperate in supporting the democratic umbrella so that we may avert the threats of expanding authoritarianism.

I am confident that Taiwan and Japan, by engaging in economic cooperation, can leverage the complementary nature of our industries. Together, we can promote economic progress in both our countries. I also hope that Japan will continue supporting Taiwan's accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership so that we can contribute even more to global prosperity and development.

The friendship between the LDP and Taiwan goes back over half a century, and the LDP Youth Division has played a key role in the relationship. Since becoming a member of Taiwan's legislature, I have taken part in numerous exchanges with members of the LDP, and each meeting with the LDP Youth Division has been an especially happy occasion.

Finally, I want to thank each of our distinguished guests once again for visiting, and for promoting Taiwan-Japan exchanges and cooperation. In the future, we will work together, continue deepening our bilateral ties, and establish an even closer partnership.

Director Suzuki then delivered remarks, first expressing gratitude for the enthusiastic welcome that her delegation received. In late April of this year, she indicated, she had led a visit to Taiwan by a group of LDP Youth Division members, all of whom had been born in the 1980s. The visit, she added, was just a few weeks prior to Taiwan's May 20 presidential inauguration. In addition to congratulating President Lai on his inauguration, Director Suzuki noted that this is the first time ever that the same party in Taiwan will hold the presidency for three consecutive terms, and that this is the first time in history a vice president has been democratically elected as president of Taiwan, for which she also expressed congratulations, as well as respect and admiration.

Director Suzuki stated that everyone in Japan was very happy to see Taiwan's athletes perform so well in the Paris Olympics. She indicated that the Taiwan government put on a big parade for the athletes after they returned from Paris, and saw how the athletes interacted candidly with the public, who enthusiastically cheered for and thanked them. The director said she felt that each person in Taiwan's society enjoys respect and dignity, and this is the finest proof of how democracy makes its presence felt in people's everyday lives. When Taiwanese competitors won medals overseas, she added, President Lai immediately congratulated them on behalf of the entire nation. Director Suzuki said that the Japanese government and the LDP Youth Division would do well to learn from Taiwan on this score.

Director Suzuki noted that she had recently seen that President Lai had expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Kishida, and thanked the president for this gesture. She also took the opportunity to thank Representative to Japan Frank Hsieh (謝長廷) for his eight years of hard work and dedication, and expressed hope for a close working relationship between the LDP Youth Division and newly appointed Representative to Japan Lee Yi-yang (李逸洋).

The delegation also included Japanese House of Councillors members Fujii Kazuhiro, Tomonoh Rio, Ochi Toshiyuki, Kamiya Masayuki, and Nagai Manabu; Japanese House of Representatives members Kaneko Shunpei and Yamamoto Sakon; and Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association Taipei Office Chief Representative Katayama Kazuyuki.

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