TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The ruling parties of Taiwan and Japan are set to hold a foreign affairs and defense 2+2 meeting later this month, marking the third dialogue between the two political parties in the past two years.

The meeting is expected to be held on Feb. 23, during which Taiwan’s Democratic Progressive Party and Japan’s Liberal Democratic Party will discuss how to deepen cooperation between the two nations in the field of security, as China increases military pressure on Taiwan.

The two parties held 2+2 meetings in Aug. and Dec. 2021, but they were all held via videoconference. This is the first physical meeting that is likely to be held in Taiwan.

In December, Japan released new national security strategy and defense planning reports. Most notable of the new changes was the authorization of “counterstrike capability,” which points to the ability to strike another nation’s missile launching infrastructure. Additionally, the documents labeled China’s military threat as “unprecedented and the greatest strategic challenge in ensuring the peace and security of Japan and the peace and stability of the international community.”