TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has announced that Taiwan and Japan will hold an official dialogue on maritime affairs this week in Taipei.
The meeting is expected to cover topics of trade, environmental conservation, maritime emergencies and marine scientific research, according to reports from CNA.
The Taiwanese representatives will be led by the Secretary General of the Taiwan-Japan Relations Association (TJRA) Chang Shu-ling (張淑玲). Representatives from the Fisheries Agency, Coast Guard Administration, Ministry of Science and Technology as well as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
CNA sources suggest that the Japanese delegation will be headed by Mitsuo Ohashi, Chairman of the Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association. Japanese representatives from agencies like the coast guard and Japanese Foreign Affairs office will also be present.
The meeting is planned for two days from Dec. 19 to Dec. 20.
The dialogues will be intended to establish closer relations and a framework for cooperation on important matters that may arise at sea in territorial waters of the two nations.
Securing trade routes, bolstering environmental protection efforts, as well as establishing and reviewing SOPs in the case of rescue or law enforcement operations, are all important matters that will be discussed.
The official dialogue comes on just a week after the trilateral security dialogue held between the Taiwan, the US, and Japan on Dec. 13 about security concerns in the East Asian Region.
At the dialogue on Dec. 13, a Japanese congressman Keisuke Suzuki mentioned that Japan and Taiwan should begin considering increased levels of cooperation in areas of trade and security.
