Taiwan’s President-elect Lai Ching-te Meets with LDP Lawmaker; Expresses Hopes for Economic Cooperation

By Daisuke Kawase / Yomiuri Shimbun Correspondent

17:34 JST, [updated at 18:30 JST]

TAIPEI — Taiwan’s President-elect Lai Ching-te, 64, the current vice president from the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), met in Taipei on Sunday with Keiji Furuya, a Liberal Democratic Party lawmaker who chairs the suprapartisan Japan-Taiwan Diet members’ consultative council, a day after Lai’s victory in the Taiwan presidential election on Saturday.

According to the DPP, Lai said he “has a deep desire for Taiwan-Japan cooperation” and expressed his intention to strengthen economic cooperation and private-sector exchanges with Japan.

Citing the semiconductor industry as an example, Lai said that he recognized the great potential for economic cooperation between Taiwan and Japan, saying that he “hopes for increased investment and trade.” Lai also said that their meeting the day after his win “symbolizes the close relationship between Taiwan and Japan.”

On the same day, Lai also met with Mitsuo Ohashi, the chairman of the Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association, a Japanese liaison organization to Taiwan.

Hayashi rejects China protest

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi on Monday rejected China’s protest over Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa congratulating the winner of the Taiwan presidential election.

“Taiwan is an extremely significant partner that shares basic values [with Japan] and is an important friend,” Hayashi said at a press conference on Monday.

The Chinese Embassy in Tokyo issued a statement on Sunday, protesting Kamikawa’s statement as interference in internal affairs.

Hayashi said Japan will work to further deepen cooperation and exchange between Japan and Taiwan.

“I hope issues related to Taiwan will be solved peacefully through dialogue,” the chief cabinet secretary said.