Japan plans Taiwan party-level talks in move likely to anger Beijing
- Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party and Taiwan’s Democratic Progressive Party may hold online security dialogue as early as this month, says Japanese media
- Beijing is concerned about growing Taiwan-Japan contact, and has repeatedly warned other governments, especially the US, against violating its one-China policy
Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party is planning to hold its first-ever security dialogue with its Taiwanese counterpart, in a move welcomed by the foreign ministry in Taipei but expected to rile Beijing amid rising tensions in the Taiwan Strait.
The planned dialogue was initiated by the LDP, with the director of its foreign affairs division, Masahisa Sato, and National Defence Division director Taku Otsuka expected to take part. Both Sato and Otsuka have held deputy and vice-minister roles in the past.
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Taiwan’s foreign ministry welcomed the plan, saying it was pleased to see active exchanges and interaction between Taiwanese political parties and lawmakers and their like-minded counterparts from around the world.
“But to maintain the government’s neutrality, we choose not to comment on the agenda and content of the exchanges or special activities held by political parties,” a ministry spokeswoman said.
DPP spokesman Hsieh Pei-fen said they had been actively promoting party-level diplomacy through frequent dialogue.
“This has not stopped even during the Covid-19 pandemic and we will continue to push for more cooperation and dialogue,” Hsieh said.