On April 28, President of the Republic of China (Taiwan), Lai Ching-te, met with a delegation led by former Japanese Minister of Economic Security, Sanae Takaichi. President Lai expressed the importance of countering the expanding “red supply chain” from the Chinese Communist Party. He hoped for continued close cooperation between the two countries in areas such as semiconductors, energy, and AI technology to jointly build a “non-red supply chain.” This collaboration aims to enhance bilateral economic resilience and industrial competitiveness, contributing to the prosperity and development of the Indo-Pacific region.
President Lai Ching-te warmly welcomed the delegation led by Takaichi and expressed his pleasure in meeting with members of the Japanese parliament. The President acknowledged the valuable exchange of ideas during the visit and recognized the strong bonds of friendship between Taiwan and Japan, based on shared values of democracy, freedom, and human rights, as well as their contributions to regional peace and stability.
President Lai thanked the Japanese government for its repeated emphasis on the importance of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait on the global stage. Referring to the upcoming visit to Kaohsiung to pay respects at the statue of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, President Lai reiterated Abe’s statement, “Taiwan’s issues are Japan’s issues,” highlighting the enduring support and friendship between Taiwan and Japan.
Since taking office, President Lai has focused on enhancing Taiwan’s overall societal defense resilience and implementing the “Four Pillars of Peace” initiative. He emphasized the importance of strengthening defense capabilities, promoting economic security, and fostering stable cross-strait relations based on principles, as well as deepening partnerships with democratic countries like Japan to uphold peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific and Taiwan Strait regions.
Looking ahead, President Lai stressed the need for Taiwan and Japan to collaborate closely in semiconductor, energy, and AI technology sectors to counter the growing influence of the “red supply chain” from China. He envisioned Taiwan playing a significant role in the international community, contributing vital capabilities and aspiring to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) with the support of visiting dignitaries, fostering economic ties through an Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) with Japan for regional prosperity and development.
President Lai expressed gratitude for the delegation’s support and emphasized the potential for further deepening Taiwan-Japan relations to create better opportunities for cooperation. He encouraged continued efforts to advance bilateral relations for the mutual benefit of both nations.
In her remarks, Member of the Japanese Parliament, Sanae Takaichi, extended gratitude to President Lai and Taiwan for the warm reception of the delegation. Takaichi highlighted the shared challenges faced by island nations like Taiwan and Japan, emphasizing the critical importance of maintaining and strengthening supply chain resilience to ensure food and energy security, especially in the face of threats to supply chains.
Regarding Taiwan-Japan cooperation, Takaichi stressed the necessity of enhancing supply chain resilience, quoting President Lai’s vision to develop Taiwan as an “AI Island.” She praised Taiwan for its leading semiconductor technology and emphasized the potential for collaboration between Taiwan and Japan in AI, semiconductors, quantum computing, dual-use technologies, drones, renewable energy, and other fields to build a robust supply chain for maintaining current living standards in times of crisis.
Takaichi underscored the significance of defense cooperation, advocating for a united front involving Taiwan, the United States, Japan, the Philippines, Australia, Europe, and like-minded countries to strengthen a network for mutual security and defense. She called for continued efforts to enhance non-governmental practical relations between Taiwan and Japan, including personnel exchanges and information sharing to collectively address crises effectively.
Regarding President Lai’s proposal for an Economic Partnership Agreement between Taiwan and Japan, Takaichi expressed her support and anticipated fruitful discussions in the upcoming exchanges, aiming to further strengthen the economic ties and cooperation between both nations.