A DPP lawmaker and a pro-Taiwan Japanese parliamentarian yesterday announced that they were organizing an "anti-hegemony alliance" to promote measures safeguarding peace in East Asia, especially in the Taiwan Strait.
"We are against the existence of any military hegemony in East Asia, so as to protect the security of the Taiwan Strait," said DPP Legislator Lin Chung-mo (林重謨).
Lin said the so-called hegemony would not only refer to China, but also any country that tries to use force against other states. "We don't wish to see a revival of Japanese militarism, either," Lin said.
PHOTO: GEORGE TSORNG, TAIPEI TIMES
The alliance was jointly initiated by Lin and Koki Kobayashi (小林興起), leader of a cross-party group consisting of around 50 pro-Taiwan Japanese parliamentarians. Lin said the alliance aimed to attract to membership at least 100 Taiwan legislators and Japanese parliamentarians.
Lin said the alliance was planning to promote cooperation between Taiwan and Japan, as two countries with a common destiny in the Asia-Pacific region, to ensure stability.
One of the alliance's goals is to lobby for a review of the Guidelines for US-Japan Defense Cooperation to specifically define "areas surrounding Japan" as including Taiwan, Lin said.
In addition, Lin proposed that Japan adopt a "Taiwan Relations Act," just like the US did, to upgrade relations between Taiwan and Japan.
Kobayashi said he was confident that all the members of his cross-party group would be supportive of this alliance.
"We are going to create a new chapter of peace in Asia in the 21st century, which is an era to resolve problems through peaceful means," Kobayashi said. Kobayashi promised that the alliance would take action to improve Taiwan-Japan relations, especially economic and trade ties.
Kobayashi said he and his colleagues would also work to realize former president Lee Teng-hui's (
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