Taiwanese Vice President Hsiao Mei-chin met with Governor Sato Kiichiro of Oita Prefecture, Japan today (1st), highlighting the long-standing strong friendship between Taiwan and Oita Prefecture as well as the Kyushu region. With TSMC’s investment in Kyushu, the cooperation between the two sides in terms of economy, industry, and supply chain has become even closer, looking forward to further expanding exchanges in various fields in the future.
The Office of the President of the Republic of China released a press release stating that Vice President Hsiao Mei-chin met with Sato Kiichiro, President Yoshimura Yasuaki of the Oita Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and Eto Masarou, President of the “Japan Taiwan Friendship Association” in the morning.
Hsiao Mei-chin pointed out that Oita Prefecture in Japan has maintained a long-standing strong friendship with Taiwan, and the Kyushu region where Oita Prefecture is located has close cooperation with Taiwan in many areas. In particular, Sato Kiichiro’s mother was born in Taiwan, which reflects the special friendship spanning generations between Taiwan and Oita Prefecture. She specially thanked Eto Masarou, who, after stepping down as a member of parliament, continues to be committed to promoting Taiwan-Japan friendly relations.
Hsiao Mei-chin mentioned that Taiwan and Kyushu not only show mutual care and assistance in various natural disasters, demonstrating a partner relationship based on “a friend in need is a friend indeed,” but also, with TSMC’s investment in Kyushu in recent years, the cooperation between the two sides in terms of economy, industry, and supply chain has become an important foundation for mutual prosperity and economic growth.
She recalled visiting Oita Prefecture about ten years ago to attend the Asia-Pacific Parliamentarians’ Union (APPU) conference, where she was deeply impressed by the local scenery, culture, and hot springs. Oita Prefecture is also a favorite tourist destination for many Taiwanese people, looking forward to continuing to encourage people from both sides to visit each other, further expanding exchanges in various fields.