Japanese LDP No. 2 Aso Visits Taiwan... China Protests

Former Japanese Prime Minister and Liberal Democratic Party Vice President Taro Aso is scheduled to visit Taiwan starting from the 7th, NHK reported on the 5th. This marks the first time since Japan and Taiwan severed diplomatic ties in 1972 that the second-in-command of the LDP has visited Taiwan.

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According to the report, Vice President Aso will visit Taiwan for a three-day schedule beginning on the 7th. During this visit, Aso is expected to hold talks with President Tsai Ing-wen, as well as meet with Vice President Lai Ching-te, the ruling party’s candidate for next year’s presidential election, and Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an, the great-grandson of former President Chiang Kai-shek.

This visit was arranged at the invitation of Taiwan, and major Japanese media outlets have reported that discussions are likely to focus on strengthening security between Japan and Taiwan to stabilize the increasingly tense situation in Taiwan amid China’s military pressure. In a lecture last January, Vice President Aso emphasized that if China invades Taiwan, Japan could also be affected by the war, stating that "we must take an interest in Taiwan’s security."

China has expressed strong opposition. In response to a Kyodo News inquiry regarding Aso’s visit to Taiwan, the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated, "We consistently and firmly oppose Japanese politicians visiting Taiwan for political gain," warning that "they must stop sending wrong signals to Taiwan independence forces."

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