AEAR head will focus on Japan

New chairman of the Association of East Asian Relations (AEAR) Hsu Shui-teh (許水德) officially took office yesterday and pledged to work on normalizing relations between Taiwan and Japan.

AEAR is a quasi-official organization that acts as a channel to facilitate non-official ties between Taipei and Tokyo. The organization has been without a leader since its former head, Chuang Ming-yao (莊銘耀), passed away on Jan. 6.

Receiving the AEAR chairman seal from Minister of Foreign Affairs Eugene Chien (簡又新), Hsu said he would work hard to normalize Taiwan-Japan relations.

"Geographically speaking, Taiwan and Japan are quite close," said Hsu at the handover ceremony. "But in terms of interaction and such, there is much more work that needs to be done."

Commenting on Hsu's expertise with Taiwan-Japan affairs and rich contacts both in Taiwan and in Japan, Chien said he is confident that Hsu will lead the association well and thus advance Taiwan-Japan relations in the near future.

Hsu, who speaks fluent Japanese, was Taiwan's de facto ambassador to Japan between 1991 and 1993 and finished his six-year tenure as chief of the Examination Yuan on Sunday.

"Hsu's AEAR chairman post assumption marks a very important milestone for the future Taiwan-Japan relations," Chien added. "For it is a very different time than when, 30 years ago, Taiwan and Japan terminated their diplomatic ties."

In Chien's speech, he also spoke of the goals he hopes can be accomplished under Hsu's leadership.

"I hope the association will become a better, more optimal communication channel between Taiwan and Japan and thus normalize the two sides' relations so that high-ranking officials from both sides can engage in mutual visits.

"And I hope that Japan will continue its support of Taiwan's participation in international organizations, like its support for Taiwan to become an observing member in the WHO" Chien said.

Chien also said he hopes that in the near future, under the WTO framework, Taiwan and Japan will sign a free-trade agreement. He also said that he hopes the Japanese government will relax its landing visa restrictions on Taiwanese tourists so they will be allowed to stay in Japan for two weeks.

Chien said the Japanese government currently only grants a three-day landing visa to Taiwanese tourists, but the Taiwan government allows Japanese tourists to stay for two weeks when they come to Taiwan.

Chien added he also hopes that both Taiwan and Japan will engage in further dialogue and negotiate on water issues to help solve the two parties' fishing industry problems.