Taiwanese Vice Premier Cheng Wen-tsan visits Japan, meets Liberal Democratic Party leaders

Tokyo [Japan], June 30 : Taiwanese Vice Premier Cheng Wen-tsan visited Japan this week to hold a meeting with Japanese lawmakers, Nikkei Asia reported. During his visit, Cheng Wen-tsan on Wednesday met Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party's Secretary-General Toshimitsu Motegi.

Cheng Wen-tsan is Taiwan's first sitting Vice Premier to travel to Japan in 29 years, Nikkei Asia reported citing Taiwanese media. His visit to Japan appears to indicate Tokyo's hope for deeper ties with Taipei. Japan severed formal diplomatic ties with Taiwan in 1972 when it normalized relations with China.

During the talks on Wednesday, Cheng Wen-tsan said that Japan and Taiwan had a very close economic and trade relationship. He noted that the two nations faced shared geopolitical challenges. He also spoke about a chip plant being made by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co in Japan's Kumamoto prefecture, Nikkei Asia reported.

Cheng Wen-tsan said that Taiwan, Japan and the US are constructing a semiconductor ecosystem that could help create more advanced technology. Meanwhile, Toshimitsu Motegi called Taiwan an "extremely important partner" and "friend to Japan with shared values like freedom, democracy, human rights and the rule of law."

Motegi expressed hope that the ties between Japan and Taiwan will "continue to develop further." On Monday, Cheng Wen-tsan held a meeting with LDP Vice President Taro Aso and Japanese lawmaker Keisuke Suzuki, who leads the LDP project team on Taiwan's policy.

Taking to his Facebook, Taiwan's Vice Premier noted that they held in-depth discussions on economic exchanges, trade, industrial cooperation and other efforts to strengthen the ties between the two nations, according to Nikkei Asia report. Taiwanese officials have also called on Taro Aso about making a possible visit to Taiwan in August.

Earlier in December, LDP policy chief Koichi Hagiuda visited Taiwan. Hagiuda became the first member of the party's leadership to do so in 19 years. Furthermore, a group of lawmakers from Japan and Taiwan plan to meet in Okinawa's Yonaguni Island on July 4, Nikkei Asia reported.

As per the news report, Taiwan intends to set up regular ferry services between Yilan County and Yonaguni, which is the westernmost island of Japan. Meanwhile, Japanese leaders from the opposition have also announced plans to travel to Taiwan in July.