MIL Asia Pacific Publishing Engine

Source: Republic of China Taiwan

Foreign Minister Lin meets with delegation led by member of Japanese House of Representatives and former Chief Cabinet Secretary Kato

Date：2026-01-15
Data Source：TAIWAN-JAPAN RELATIONS ASSOCIATION

January 15, 2026  
No. 016  

Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung on January 15 met with member of the Japanese House of Representatives and former Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato. The delegation also included Representative Kosaburo Nishime, who formerly served as minister of reconstruction, and Representative Junji Fukuhara. The two sides engaged in exchanges on such issues as the regional situation, economic security and resilience, and Taiwan-Japan interactions.
 
In his remarks during the meeting, Minister Lin began by welcoming Representative Kato and the delegation. Thanking Mr. Kato for helping facilitate Japan’s donation of vaccines to Taiwan during the COVID-19 pandemic during his tenure as chief cabinet secretary, Minister Lin said that the Taiwanese people remained deeply grateful for this gesture. He also expressed heartfelt gratitude to the government of Japan for having emphasized the importance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait at key international forums on numerous occasions.
 
Minister Lin went on to state that he looked forward to Taiwan and Japan signing a free trade agreement and economic partnership agreement at the earliest possible juncture, as well as Japan assisting in Taiwan’s timely accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, which he said would deepen the two countries’ economic partnership and help them jointly advance regional prosperity. Adding that Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s focus on the growth of 17 strategic sectors enjoyed many similarities with President Lai Ching-te’s Five Trusted Industry Sectors, he said he hoped that Taiwan and Japan would continue to deepen cooperation and exchanges in related fields.
 
During his remarks, Representative Kato observed that Taiwan and Japan were important partners that shared universal values. Noting that true friendship is demonstrated in times of adversity, Mr. Kato thanked Taiwan for its assistance following the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and 2016 Kumamoto earthquakes and for providing Japan with medical masks, pulse oximeters, oxygen concentrators, and other medical equipment during the COVID-19 pandemic. He added that he had been delighted to learn that more than six million visits had been made to Japan by Taiwanese travelers in 2024 and that this number had risen further by 10 percent in 2025. He said he believed that personal and economic exchanges between Taiwan and Japan would grow even closer moving forward.
 
This is Representative Kato’s first visit to Taiwan. Mr. Kato is an influential figure who has long occupied a central role in Japanese politics. In addition to previously serving as chief cabinet secretary under Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, he has also held such posts as minister of health, labour and welfare and minister of finance. (E)

Source: Republic of China Taiwan

Foreign Minister Lin hosts luncheon to welcome Canadian parliamentary delegation

Date：2026-01-14
Data Source：Department of North American Affairs

January 14, 2026  
No. 014  

On behalf of the government, Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung hosted a luncheon on January 13 to warmly welcome a five-member delegation of Canadian parliamentarians. During the luncheon, the two sides exchanged views on regional developments and the deepening of bilateral economic and trade exchanges and various forms of cooperation.
 
In his remarks, Minister Lin noted that this was the first time a Canadian parliamentary delegation had traveled to Taiwan since Canada’s federal election last year and that the timing of the visit demonstrated the enduring friendship between the two countries. He also reiterated that Taiwan welcomed Canada’s expression of concern over China’s recent large-scale military exercises, as well as Canada’s repeated dispatch of naval vessels through the Taiwan Strait over the past three years, demonstrating Canada’s firm commitment to maintaining a free and open Indo-Pacific. Minister Lin declared that Taiwan, standing on the front line against the expansion of authoritarianism, would continue to collaborate with Canada and other democratic allies to jointly defend their shared values and way of life.
 
In addition, Minister Lin emphasized that Taiwan and Canada were natural partners due to their shared values and highly complementary economic structures. He then conveyed the hope that the two countries would advance hand in hand as they moved toward an era of AI-driven innovation.
 
Melissa Lantsman, Deputy Leader of the Conservative Party of Canada, pointed out that Taiwan was a trustworthy partner in the areas of democracy and innovation and that the visit aimed to convey the strong support of the Canadian parliament and to enhance bilateral cooperation in trade, energy, supply chain resilience, and innovation. She added that Canada backed Taiwan’s meaningful participation in international organizations and looked forward to the two countries jointly addressing the challenges of transnational repression and disinformation. 
 
Moreover, Ms. Lantsman asserted that, in facing the growing severity of authoritarian pressure, building economic and social resilience grounded in democratic values would be the best course of action. She also remarked that this visit highlighted the importance of bilateral interaction, dialogue, and consistency and that her country hoped that Taiwan and Canada would continue bolstering mutually beneficial bilateral relations in the future.
 
MOFA thanks the Canadian parliament for its long-standing, concrete, and staunch support for Taiwan. Looking ahead, Taiwan will continue to promote interaction and exchange with Canada and work with it to strengthen the international order based on democracy, freedom, and the rule of law. (E)

Source: Republic of China Taiwan

MOFA thanks Thailand and Vietnam for concern over Taiwan Strait peace and stability and support for maintaining status quo

Date：2025-11-28
Data Source：Department of East Asian and Pacific Affairs

November 28, 2025No. 509  In separate public statements, the governments of Thailand and Vietnam recently expressed high concern regarding Taiwan Strait peace and stability. Thailand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that cross-strait peace and stability were crucial both to ASEAN and to Thailand and urged all parties to manage the situation with prudence.Vietnam’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs noted that peace, stability, and cooperation in the Taiwan Strait were of significance to the region and the world and said it hoped that all relevant parties would actively contribute to regional peace and development.The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) commends these statements by the governments of Thailand and Vietnam.MOFA believes that the proclamations issued by the governments of Thailand and Vietnam expressing the above positions reflect the objective reality of China’s recent high-pressure coercion of Japan and show that peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait have become important security issues in the Indo-Pacific. Indeed, maintaining the status quo is the general expectation of the international community, which sees this as key to preserving regional stability. As a responsible member of the international community, Taiwan will continue to cooperate with like-minded nations to jointly uphold the rules-based international order.Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung states that Taiwan Strait security is crucial to regional and global stability. The international community’s close attention to this matter demonstrates that sustaining peace across the Taiwan Strait has become a widespread consensus among nations. Taiwan will continue to promote integrated diplomacy and work with like-minded partners in Southeast Asia and around the world to safeguard peace, stability, and prosperity throughout the Indo-Pacific. (E)

Source: Republic of China Taiwan

MOFA strongly refutes false claims regarding Taiwan’s sovereignty by Colombia’s Foreign Ministry

Date：2025-11-27
Data Source：Department of Latin American and Caribbean Affairs

November 27, 2025  
No. 503  
 
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Colombia on November 26 issued a statement repudiating the potential establishment of a Colombian office in Taiwan and presenting an incorrect narrative that made false claims about Taiwan’s sovereign status. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) of the Republic of China (Taiwan) strongly protests the statement.
 
MOFA reiterates that the ROC (Taiwan) is a sovereign, independent nation; that neither the ROC (Taiwan) nor the People’s Republic of China is subordinate to the other; and that the PRC has never governed Taiwan. These are objective facts widely recognized by the international community, as well as the cross-strait status quo. The Colombian government’s disregard for the right and desire of the Taiwanese people to pursue freedom and democracy contradicts Colombia’s long-standing position of urging the international community to respect other nations’ right to self-determination. MOFA calls on the government of Colombia to uphold the principles of diplomatic autonomy and national dignity and to refrain from echoing false claims propagated by the authoritarian Chinese government.
 
Regarding the Colombian government using the inappropriate “one China principle” as a pretext for its self-imposed restriction on the opening of an office in Taiwan, MOFA reminds Colombia that it previously opened a commercial office in Taiwan in 1995, which was closed in 2002 due to financial difficulties faced by its own government. This fact demonstrates that opening an office in Taiwan would not contravene Colombia’s long-standing diplomatic policy. As Taiwan is the world’s 21st-largest economy, the reopening of a Colombian office in Taiwan would help Colombian businesses build a stronger presence in the Taiwan market and allow them to leverage the operational networks of Taiwanese companies in Asia so as to facilitate their regional expansion. This would be mutually beneficial, especially for Colombia. 
 
MOFA urges the Colombian government to heed the voices of its people as conveyed by the Colombian lawmakers and to give pragmatic consideration to the establishment of an office in Taiwan so as to strengthen bilateral economic and trade exchanges. This action would best support the well-being of its people. (E)

Source: Republic of China Taiwan

November 24, 2025  
No. 491  
 
Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung met with a delegation from Paraguay led by Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Víctor Alfredo Verdún Bitar on the morning of November 24. Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Baushuan Ger hosted a luncheon for the group, extending a warm welcome to the visitors on behalf of the government of Taiwan. The delegation included Director General of Bilateral Policy Raúl Mariano Martínez Villalba and Director General of Press Advisory Services Osmar Gómez Román.
 
In his remarks, Minister Lin welcomed Vice Minister Verdún, who was leading a delegation on his first visit to Taiwan. Speaking on behalf of the people and government of Taiwan, Minister Lin again thanked Paraguayan President Santiago Peña and the government of Paraguay for making over 50 statements in public and at international events supporting bilateral diplomatic relations and backing Taiwan’s participation in international organizations. 
 
Minister Lin pointed out that President Lai Ching-te attached great importance to the results of cooperation between Taiwan and Paraguay. He added that President Lai had instructed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to continue working with the government of Paraguay under the Diplomatic Allies Prosperity Project to jointly promote partnership programs in such areas as smart health care, new energy, carbon credit cooperation, and smart new agriculture, as well as to expand economic and trade investment and collaboration. Minister Lin said that this would make the Taiwan-Paraguay relationship a model of international cooperation and exchanges. 
 
In response, Vice Minister Verdún thanked Taiwan for its long-standing assistance in technological advancement, talent development, public health, medical care, and other spheres. Emphasizing President Peña’s staunch support for Taiwan-Paraguay diplomatic ties, he added that both countries shared the values of freedom, democracy, and human rights, which should not be sacrificed for economic and trade interests. Vice Minister Verdún said that Paraguay wanted to demonstrate to the world that standing with Taiwan was the right choice and that Paraguay would continue to join other like-minded nations in backing Taiwan’s participation in the international community.
 
Speaking at the luncheon that he hosted on behalf of Minister Lin, Vice Minister Ger noted that Paraguay offered an attractive investment environment and had the advantage of being a gateway to access the regional market. He said that the government of Taiwan was developing appropriate policies to encourage companies to invest in Paraguay. Vice Minister Ger expressed hope that, based on the existing solid foundations of cooperation, the two sides would further develop economic and trade opportunities to benefit the businesses and people of both countries. 
 
During his remarks, Vice Minister Verdún applauded the results of bilateral collaboration and exchanges across all fields and commended the memorandum of understanding on carbon credit cooperation, signed by the two nations in October, as a forward-looking and strategic document. He added that he was pleased by the popularity of Paraguayan beef and pork in the Taiwanese market. Vice Minister Verdún reiterated Paraguay’s firm support for Taiwan’s international participation and exchanged views with other guests on an extensive range of issues, including economics, trade, agriculture, medical care, and technology.
 
Over the 68 years that Taiwan and Paraguay have been diplomatic allies, they have engaged in broad-ranging cooperation across areas including talent development, public health, medical care, agricultural technology, and technological advancement. The outcomes of collaboration are widely recognized and appreciated by the Paraguayan people and government. Paraguay has long endorsed Taiwan’s participation in international organizations, and President Peña has strongly spoken up for Taiwan at the United Nations General Assembly for several years running, demonstrating the rock-solid, mutually beneficial, and reciprocal partnership between the two countries. (E)

Source: Republic of China Taiwan

Foreign Minister Lin further refutes Chinese Foreign Minister Wang’s erroneous remarks regarding Taiwan

Date：2026-03-10
Data Source：Department of Policy Planning

March 10, 2026  
No. 074  

Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung strongly condemns the false claims made at a press conference for the fourth session of the 14th National People’s Congress by Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi that Taiwan affairs are China’s internal affairs and that Japan has no right to interfere in them. 
 
Minister Lin underlines that there is a high degree of consensus in the international community on maintaining peace and security across the Taiwan Strait, which is in the interests of all parties in the region. Taiwan and Japan share many key ideals and values. Together with other like-minded partners, they jointly strive to uphold regional and cross-strait stability, contributing to the preservation of a peaceful, stable, and prosperous region.
 
Reiterating that the Republic of China (Taiwan) has always been an independent and sovereign country, Minister Lin states that Taiwan’s sovereignty belongs to the people of Taiwan. The People’s Republic of China has never governed Taiwan. The international community overwhelmingly recognizes that neither side is subordinate to the other. These objective facts reflect the status quo. Taiwanese society has reached a strong common understanding on these issues. No amount of rhetoric that distorts or disregards Taiwan’s sovereign status can change the reality that neither side of the Taiwan Strait is subordinate to the other.
 
Taiwan and Japan both uphold the values of freedom, democracy, human rights, and the rule of law. They are close friends and strong like-minded partners that enjoy long-standing public, private, and people-to-people ties. Based on these firm foundations, the two countries will continue to deepen cooperation in all spheres and promote comprehensive bilateral relations. (E)

Source: Republic of China Taiwan

March 8, 2026  
No. 070  

Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung firmly refutes erroneous remarks made by Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi at a press conference for the fourth session of the 14th National People’s Congress, including false claims that China has sovereignty over Taiwan and that unification of the two sides of the Taiwan Strait is an inevitable historical process and an international trend.
 
Minister Lin reiterates that the Republic of China (Taiwan) has always been an independent and sovereign country. Neither it nor the People’s Republic of China (PRC) is subordinate to the other. Whether in terms of historical truths, objective reality, or international law, Taiwan’s sovereignty has never belonged to China. Only the 23 million people of Taiwan have the right to decide Taiwan’s future. These facts cannot be rewritten by China.
 
After the end of World War II, the Treaty of San Francisco was signed. As a legally binding treaty under international law, it replaced the Cairo Declaration, the Potsdam Proclamation, and other political instruments. In the mid-1980s Taiwan started a process of liberalization and democratization, culminating in the completion of its first direct presidential election in 1996. Since then, representatives of the executive and legislative branches of the ROC government have been elected by the people of Taiwan, making it the only legitimate authority to effectively govern and represent Taiwan externally. This also established the status quo of the ROC (Taiwan) and the PRC existing on an equal footing, with neither being subordinate to the other.
 
China has long misrepresented United Nations General Assembly Resolution 2758, repeating the fallacy that it determines that Taiwan’s sovereignty belongs to the PRC and using it as a pretext to suppress Taiwan’s international participation, which is utterly absurd. In fact, resolution was never intended to decide Taiwan’s status, let alone give the Beijing authorities the power to limit Taiwan’s international participation.
 
In recent years, Chinese military aircraft and ships have conducted exercises in the Taiwan Strait and around neighboring countries, seriously jeopardizing regional peace and stability. Yet, at the abovementioned press conference, Minister Wang attempted to shift the blame for recent cross-strait tensions onto Taiwan, ignoring China’s constant military provocations. China’s actions blatantly violate the principle of refraining from the threat or use of force set out in the UN Charter and have seriously disrupted global shipping, flights, and trade links. China is a troublemaker in the international community and a saboteur of peace across the Taiwan Strait.
 
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs calls on the Beijing authorities to respect the objective reality of the existence of the ROC (Taiwan), jointly uphold regional peace and stability, stop misleading the international community, and immediately cease its repeated and unwarranted provocations. Cross-strait relations will only be improved when China adopts a responsible attitude and engages in reasonable, rational, respectful, and equitable dialogue with the democratically elected government of Taiwan.
 
MOFA urges the international community to continue to support democratic Taiwan through concrete actions, jointly condemn China’s repeated attempts to unilaterally change the status quo through coercion and force, and denounce its intimidation and harassment of other countries. Taiwan, in unity with its democratic partners, will jointly uphold the democratic umbrella to collectively counter authoritarian aggression, defend universal values and the rules-based international order, and work together to maintain peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and security throughout the Indo-Pacific region. (E)

Source: Republic of China Taiwan

MOFA extends sincere congratulations to new Netherlands coalition government following swearing-in

Date：2026-02-23
Data Source：Department of European Affairs

February 23, 2026  No. 053  The new coalition government of the Netherlands, led by Prime Minister Rob Jetten and composed of cabinet members from Democrats 66, the People’s Party for Freedom and Democracy, and the Christian Democratic Alliance, was sworn in by King Willem-Alexander today. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs extends its sincere congratulations to the Netherlands on forming its new government. Taiwan and the Netherlands share the values of democracy, freedom, human rights, and the rule of law, and bilateral relations have flourished in recent years. The Dutch government dispatched naval vessels through the Taiwan Strait for the first time in 2024 and extended congratulations to the people of Taiwan for a successful presidential election in 2025. Furthermore, the Dutch parliament has long shown cross-party support for Taiwan, adopting 10 Taiwan-friendly motions between 2024 and 2025. Its actions have fully underscored Dutch society’s high regard for and friendship toward Taiwan. The Netherlands is Taiwan’s second-largest trade partner in Europe and largest source of foreign investment. Taiwan values its close economic and trade ties and strong historical links with the Netherlands. Building on a cordial foundation of mutual trust, Taiwan will continue to work with the Netherlands to strengthen bilateral collaboration in various areas—including semiconductors, technological innovation, and industrial supply chains—so as to jointly benefit the well-being of the people of both countries. (E)

Source: Republic of China Taiwan

MOFA response to Japanese Foreign Minister Motegi emphasizing importance of cross-strait peace and stability at first press conference since reappointment

Date：2026-02-20
Data Source：TAIWAN-JAPAN RELATIONS ASSOCIATION

February 20, 2026On February 19, Japanese Minister for Foreign Affairs Toshimitsu Motegi held his first press conference since his reappointment. During the briefing, Minister Motegi highlighted the utmost importance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung appreciates and welcomes the remarks.Since its formation last October, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s cabinet has repeatedly urged countries to place emphasis on cross-strait issues at such major international events as the 28th ASEAN-Japan Summit, the 20th East Asia Summit, and the Japan-US summit. During both the Japan-China leaders’ meeting at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit and the Japan-China defense ministerial meeting last November, as well as China’s military exercises around Taiwan last December, Japan directly expressed deep concern to China over cross-strait and regional security. These pronouncements demonstrate that ensuring peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait is integral to the security and prosperity of Japan and the world and in the shared interests of the international community.The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) of the Republic of China (Taiwan) welcomes the continued cooperation among democratic countries to counter the expansion of authoritarianism. MOFA also calls on countries to pay close attention to cross-strait developments and take concrete actions to safeguard security across the Taiwan Strait. Looking ahead, Taiwan will further enhance its self-defense capabilities, build whole-of-society defense resilience, and work closely with friendly countries and allies to ensure the peace, stability, and prosperity of Taiwan and the Indo-Pacific region.

Source: Republic of China Taiwan

MOFA extends sincere congratulations to LDP President Takaichi on reelection as prime minister of Japan

Date：2026-02-18
Data Source：TAIWAN-JAPAN RELATIONS ASSOCIATION

February 18, 2026  No. 052  During a special session of the National Diet of Japan, convened on February 18, to designate a new prime minister, Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) President Sanae Takaichi obtained the votes required to become the 105th prime minister of Japan. She will now go on to form a cabinet for the second time. Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung extends sincere congratulations to Prime Minister Takaichi and has instructed the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in Japan to offer congratulations to Prime Minister Takaichi and her cabinet on behalf of the government of Taiwan.Prime Minister Takaichi, who enjoys a strong popular mandate, has long supported Taiwan through concrete actions. During her tenure as chairperson of the LDP Policy Research Council, she included support for Taiwan’s membership of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership and the World Health Organization in the LDP’s election manifesto. In 2025, prior to her election as LDP president, she led a delegation to Taiwan to meet with President Lai Ching-te and other prominent figures from various sectors of Taiwanese society. Since becoming prime minister, she has been quick to assert the importance of upholding peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait at key international events. Furthermore, the government of Japan has consistently prioritized the robust development of Taiwan-Japan relations. After Japan’s House of Representatives election this year, Minister for Foreign Affairs Toshimitsu Motegi stated in response to a media question that the Japanese government would maintain its existing position on Taiwan and further deepen cooperation and exchanges.Taiwan and Japan are key partners in the first island chain. Taiwan looks forward to working with Japan to achieve a free and open Indo-Pacific and further deepen mutually beneficial and comprehensive bilateral ties to jointly contribute to regional peace, stability, and prosperity. (E)