TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A meeting between European Council President Charles Michel and Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio is scheduled to take place in Japan on Nov. 29.
The two leaders will talk about dynamics in the Indo-Pacific region and strengthening cooperation in the face of Chinese aggression, according to a Kyodo News report.
The duo is likely to emphasize the importance of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait as well as democratic values, the rule of law, and other policy points that reflect the EU and Japan’s shared interests. Both sides are committed to enabling a “free and open Indo-Pacific,” per the report.
There is a precedent for the two sides discussing Taiwan. When Michel spoke with then-Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide in May, the leaders talked about peace and stability in the strait.
Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) met with a delegation from the European Parliament earlier this month. It was the first time such a delegation had visited Taiwan.
The EU has also made supply chain resilience a focus, committing to increasing trade in key industrial products, like semiconductors, with both Japan and Taiwan.