By Shannon Tiezzi
Tsai Ing-wen’s visit to Japan provides a glimpse of the importance she ascribes to the Taiwan-Japan relationship.
The front-runner in Taiwan’s presidential race, Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Chair Tsai Ing-wen, is visiting Japan this week on a “friendship tour.” Tsai arrived in Tokyo on October 6 to kick off a four-day visit during which she planned to meet with politicians, Taiwanese expatriates, and “friends” in Japan.
Polls have consistently shown Tsai leading by double-digits in Taiwan’s presidential race, making her a heavy favorite to win (such a favorite, in fact, that the rival Kuomintang is moving to replace its own candidate). Her trip to Japan sends an important signal about her foreign policy priorities should she win as expected in the January 2016 presidential election.
In a foreign policy speech on September 22, Tsai said that one of her priorities as Taiwan’s leader would be “strengthen our partnerships with the United States, Japan, and other like-minded democracies from around the world.” Tsai has emphasized the need for Taiwan to build up regional partnerships that will reduce its economic reliance on mainland China and carve out more international space for Taiwan.
“It is in our national interest to have strong and healthy relationships here by expanding our economic and cultural ties, and engage in dialogue on regional security and economic integration, such as joining the TPP,” Tsai said in her September speech.
Japan is a natural partner in this regard for both social and geopolitical reasons. A majority of Taiwanese have favorable opinions of Japan, and their regional interests are well aligned as well – both share a commitment to defending international law, democratic systems, and the U.S.-led alliance network in the Asia-Pacific. The two sides have already demonstrated their ability to cooperate even on contentious issues — in 2013, they signed a fishing agreement that would allow both sides to harvest fish from the waters off the Senkaku/Diaoyu islands, which are disputed by Japan and Taiwan (as well as mainland China).
Read the full story at The Diplomat