Representatives from the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) today held their sixth annual “Diplomacy and Defense 2+2” dialogue at DPP headquarters in Taipei, with this year’s meeting to feature a record number of topics and attendees.
This year, the dialogue would be followed by the first session of the LDP’s “Taiwan Policy Review Project Team,” marking the first time the 2+2 dialogue has been expanded to a “4+4 policy meeting,” DPP Legislator Kuo Kuo-wen (郭國文) said.
Since both ruling parties no longer hold the legislative majority, it is important to continue these exchanges and build a substantive framework for bilateral cooperation, he added.
Photo: Tsung Chang-chin, Taipei Times
This year’s session is attended by Kuo and DPP Legislator Chen Kuan-ting (陳冠廷), while representing the LDP are Tsuyoshi Hoshino, chair of the party’s Committee on Foreign Affairs, and Kazuchika Iwata, director of the LDP’s National Defense Division.
The parties are to discuss disaster prevention, coast guard patrols and undersea cables, Kuo said in his opening remarks.
Today’s discussions would also incorporate national security and cultivating talent for Defense innovation Units, while featuring in-depth talks regarding trade matters, Chen said.
Taiwan and Japan are not only neighboring countries, but also have close and longstanding relations, Hoshino said.
Although some difficulties arose for the LDP this year, Hoshino said he still elected to visit Taiwan, as bilateral discussions and cooperation between the ruling parties are of the utmost importance.
Iwata said he hopes the session would promote further exchanges in economics and trade, disaster prevention and talent training.
However, most important is that Japan and Taiwan continue to work together to ensure peace and stability in Asia and the Indo-Pacific region, using this as a framework to promote further cooperation and exchanges, he added.
UPGRADE: The Kang Ding-class frigate is replacing its Chaparall missiles with Tien Chien II and Hua Yang VLS, which would provide it with long-range, 360° air defense Taiwan plans to produce 1,200 to 1,376 Hai Chien II missiles (海劍二, Sea Sword II) — also known as TC-2N — to serve as the standard air defense system of the navy’s surface combatant fleet, a source said yesterday. Last week, the Hai Chien II, the naval version of the Tien Kung II missile (天劍二, Sky Sword II), completed a live-fire test in waters off the National Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology’s Jiupeng facility (九鵬) in Pingtung County’s Manjhou Township (滿州). The MIM72 Chaparral and other dated air defense missiles that currently arm Taiwanese ships have inadequate range to combat Chinese
REASONS FOR TRAVEL: An assistant professor said that proposed amendments to penalize drivers if they used drugs overseas would not deter people from traveling People who operate a motor vehicle under the influence of marijuana would have their driver’s license revoked, even if they used the substance while overseas, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications said yesterday, citing proposed amendments to the Road Traffic Management and Penalty Act (道路交通管理處罰條例). The amendments would also authorize the government to revoke the licenses of people determined to have used Category 1 or Category 2 narcotics, even if they were not operating a vehicle while under the influence of drugs, as well as ban them from taking the license test for three years, the ministry said. People aged 18 or
Johanne Liou (劉喬安), a Taiwanese woman who shot to unwanted fame during the Sunflower movement protests in 2014, returned to Taiwan last night after being deported from the US. She is to stand trial in Taiwan for charges involving embezzlement, fraud and drug crimes. The Criminal Investigation Bureau (CIB) said it took her into custody at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport and would first question her before transferring her to the New Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office. She was arrested upon disembarking a flight from San Francisco that landed shortly before 7pm. Liou absconded to the US in 2019 after jumping bail
Shih Hsin University President Chen Ching-he (陳清河) yesterday issued a public apology for comments made in his commencement speech last week, stating that he has asked the school to suspend his duties and halt his wages for two months as a show of contrition. At the commencement ceremony on May 30, Chen said, “If you don’t manage your time well, or your own emotions, or your health, then I am telling every one of you — put a quick end to ‘you,’ because the world has no need for ‘you.’” The comments have sparked significant controversy online, and Chen through an open
RSS