The first meeting of the Legislative Yuan Free and Open Indo-Pacific Promotion Association was held yesterday in a bid to boost exchanges between Taiwan and like-minded countries in the Indo-Pacific region.
Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Chiu Chih-wei (邱志偉), who initiated the association, said that the meeting marked the first time the legislature has launched an initiative in response to the “free and open Indo-Pacific” vision advocated by late Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe.
At a critical moment shaped by shifting international political and economic dynamics, and supply-chain restructuring, the association would serve as an important starting point for connecting Taiwan with democratic partners worldwide, carrying multiple strategic implications in both security and trade, Chiu said.
Photo: George Tsorng, Taipei Times
The free and open concept was first proposed by Abe in 2007 and was incorporated into US policy by US President Donald Trump in 2017, Chiu said.
The new association has a broad scope, with members including the US, Australia, India, South Korea, spanning four continents, aiming to extend Taiwan’s connections beyond a single region and toward global partnerships, he said.
The association’s charter says its purpose is centered on the core values of rule of law, freedom, openness, and inclusiveness, and it is committed to promoting a rules-based peaceful environment.
The charter lists three main missions:
First, to respond to acts that attempt to change the “status quo” in the Taiwan Strait through coercion or unilateral actions, and to safeguard regional order through parliamentary diplomacy and policy exchanges.
Second, to promote Taiwan’s substantive participation in the Indo-Pacific region on issues such as security, economic resilience, supply chain cooperation and democratic governance.
Third, to hold public hearings and seminars to boost interactions with parliaments and administrative agencies of Indo-Pacific countries.
The association would be positioned as “mission-oriented” rather than social in nature, Chiu said, adding it aims to use parliamentary diplomacy to promote Taiwan’s policy experience across the Indo-Pacific region, implement the “Taiwan can help” concept and create new development opportunities for Taiwan.
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