Japanese lawmakers meet Taiwan President Tsai

people of Taiwan and Japan found it unacceptable that China had launched ballistic missiles over Taiwan and into Japan's exclusive economic zone.

Indeed it was worrying that China launched ballistic missiles over Taiwan. To me, Xi Jinping and the CCP looked stupidly dangerous having done so.

international community must work together to counter the expansion and provocations of authoritarianism

Still within the international community there are those who support the authoritarian Russia/China/Iran/North Korea axis. But most people living in democracies are free to choose who their leaders are, and also choose between living in their own nation or an authoritarian nation. Most living in democracies are free to move about internationally using their nation's passport, and do not need a domestic passport to move about within their own country.

@rodneyWe will have to die for Taiwan

Who is 'we'? I think if there is a war, which I hope there isn't, many people living in Japan might die because of the actions of the China/Russia/Iran/North Korea bloc. We are going to re-visit Taiwan soon, before Xi and his CCP turn it into a Hong Kong, another place we used to enjoy visiting.

We will have to die for Taiwan, I hope we get some semiconductors in return

How incredibly shallow! Not everything in life is transactional. There are principals worth fighting and dying for and I will tell you if China does invade Taiwan and he democracies of the world do not immediately and forcefully come to her aid then democracy around the world dies. Martin Luther King was quoted as saying that a man who has nothing worth dying for is not fit to live. How about you?

Japan since the end of WW2 has always supported Taiwan. The whole western world supports Taiwan. What friends does china have? North Korea and a bunch of South American, African and south East Asian authoritarian states?

Taiwan at this time may not be in the best interest of Japan!!!!!

I respectfully disagree. This is in fact a very important time for leaders of democratic nations to visit Taiwan and show their support. It has to be made very clear to China that the democratic nations of Asia and the west will not turn their backs on Taiwan if China dares to invade.

I thought the language used by the Japanese delegation was just right and the bipartisan nature of the delegation should make it clear to Baby Ping Ping that he can't hope to divide Japan along partisan lines on the matter of defending Taiwan. Just as in the US Congress, support for Taiwan is huge regardless of party affiliation.

Now is the time for Beijing to follow suit by sending their official delegates to Taiwan. President Tsai would never fail to welcome them :)

Here is a novel way to make China run out of fuel, rockets, shells and aeroplanes:

Have international diplomatic delegates visit it monthly.

Great to see this bi-partisan support and solidarity for Taiwan. No doubt China and their supporters/mouthpieces will have a tantrum...but who even cares about those losers?!

Every visit by politicians and lawmakers from democratic countries fuels the support for Taiwan in the face of the CCP threat. Japan isto be applauded for it;s open display of support. I would expect Australia to follow soon as well. China is free to get it's panties in a knot every time and use their "outrage" to pump up the ultra-nationism among it's citizens.

GO Taiwan (!) (!) (!)

:)

A rare show of support with very deep meaning, hopefully this means the treatment that Taiwan gets from Japan will improve from now on.

deanzaZZRToday  09:12 am JST

For those wondering about some Japanese politicians' fondness for former President Lee Teng-hui, Li was raised in a Taiwan occupied by Japan. Lee served as a second lieutenant in the Imperial Japanese Army.

Lee Teng-Hui, president of Taiwan 1988-2000 who brought Democracy to Taiwan was a lieutenant in the IJA, just as Park Chung Hee, President of South Korea 1962-1979 was also a lieutenant in the IJA. This is simply because Taiwan was part of Japan 1895-1945 and Korea 1910-1945. The fondness is based on Lee Teng Hui's fondness for Japan and his goal of making Taiwan a succesful democracy following Japan's post-war pattern.

@Jim they keep pushing China into taking action

Curious who 'they' might be. China to the poster must be a weakling if some outside force is pushing them to 'take action'. If so China sounds like the Putin-Federation blaming others for making Putin invade a peaceful neighbor. But then Putin and Xi are partners. If the CCP do not want a war, they do not have to have one. China has lots of land and lots of people, it does not need to grow anymore, unless the CCP want to emulate a virus or a cancer cell. Long passed time to leave imperial regimes to the history books.

A Canadian delegation and a German delegation are reportedly visiting in September and October as well.

Yet, who will be the first to put their money where their mouth is and actually open an embassy? Otherwise, it is all for show.

I wholeheartedly support Tsai's chilling courageous stance of doing everything to protect the people of Taiwan.

Japan politicians visiting another nation, (Taiwan) so what is the issue?

Why not? Stirring up tensions in Taiwan is in Japan's long term economic interest.

Only Japan is not stirring up anything, it is just a visit to a nearby nation. It should come as no surprise that the only nation stirring tensions with Taiwan is China. China does not rule Taiwan and has no right to say who can or cannot visit that island nation. China gets upset other countries will not do as China demands. It is no surprise given China does not rule these other nations either. Of course they will ignore China's petulant demands.

Give up China, and move on. Nobody is going to listen to your whining over Taiwan. Taiwan determines its future and China gets no say in that, not today, not tomorrow, not next year or next decade. Game over.

Tsai said as Taiwan and Japan are security partners that share the values of democracy and freedom, she hopes to see a continued deepening of cooperation to advance peace, stability, freedom and the prosperity of the region and the world.

We need Tsai on the peninsula too

Yet, who will be the first to put their money where their mouth is and actually open an embassy? Otherwise, it is all for show.

Sigh. Do you understand that Taiwan doesn't want another nation opening a full fledged embassy there? To do so would imply Taiwan independence and force China to react. It would do grave damage to Taiwan. The current ambiguity is about the best one can hope for until the CCP collapses or is thrown out by the Chinese people.

Starting with U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and her delegation followed by another group of House representatives, the U.S. seems to be making ripples in the otherwise tranquil waters of the Taiwan Strait.

The real start date was earlier this year with the large number of daily sorties of PLAAF aircraft into Taiwan's ADIZ. Xi Jinping has been telling PLA, PLAAN and PLAAF personal to "prepare for war" while increasing its nuclear stockpile (hundreds of new ICBM silos in three sites in the western deserts) and increasing sorties into Taiwan's ADIZ. The US was reacting to these provocations by showing the CCP that the US Congress, not just the President but Congress, stands behind Taiwan and is willing to protect it.

LOL they are using old near expiring ordinance for each one they use they make 2 new ones. China has enough resources stockpiled to continue doing so for the next 50 years if not longer.

From someone with some real life hands on with advanced ordnance, if they are that cheap and easy to make they are not going to be very good. I sincerely doubt based on what I know of the Chinese military they have the ability to keep shooting big ballistic missiles at that rate indefinitely. They drew down their wartime reserves for that tantrum.

Obtw, Chinese and Russian aircraft have much lower airframe lives than western combat jets and their engines require overhaul much more frequently, at intervals of hundreds of hours compared to the 1500 - 3000 hours western engines go between overhauls. High sortie rates like they were using will considerably shorten the service lives of those aircraft and drive a spike in the number of jet engines requiring overhaul. I can almost see the frustrated depot staff trying to deal with the sudden surge of engines to overhaul while field commanders complain about their jets being grounded for lack of engines.

AndyPandaAug. 24  09:40 pm JST

"In 1894, China and Japan went to war.

No, the Qing Dynasty and Japan went to war and Taiwan was ceded to Japan at the Treaty of Shimonoseki. The Qing Dynasty was replaced by the Republic of China under Sun Yat-Sen. During WWII the Republic of China under Chiang Kai Shek was an Allied power, and at the end of WWII, various territories incliuding Taiwan was returned to the Republic of China.

When the Communist Chinese chased Chiang Kai Shek's forces off the mainland in 1948, the Republic of China established itself on Taiwan, and has remained there in power for 74 years. The CCP established the People's Republic of China (PRC/PROC) in 1949 and they have never controlled Taiwan. Thus, their argument that China's goal with Taiwan is "unification" is nonsense, it is nothing more than an invasion and annexation.

Map of Japan in 1939.

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Imperial_Japan_map_1939.svg

Southern half of Sakhalin became Japan in 1905.

Taiwan became Japan in 1895.

Korea became Japan in 1910.

Michael MachidaToday  08:15 am JST

Japan helping other countries people? Innovative.

What makes you that?

"Japan’s official development assistance (ODA) stood at US$17.6 billion in 2021 (current prices), making Japan the third - largest Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Donor Assistance Committee (DAC) donor country in absolute terms and the largest in Asia."

https://donortracker.org/country/japan

Awa no GaijinToday  07:52 am JST

OssanAmerica Taiwan was never part of Japan

Colonized yes but part of Japan no

Taiwan was. Ask very old fellow Taiwanese who are still proud of their ex-Japanese days.

Taiwan was/is a province of China. Every Chinese on earth agrees with that. And I am sure all of the neighboring countries agree with that too.

I would not be sure of that. I would say all of Taiwan's neighbors apart from China, agree that Taiwan is independent and not part of the CCP's mainland China. I would also suggest the educated Chinese understand that Taiwan is separate and independent.

China says it is an internal conflict or affair. Taiwan does not want to be part of China. You can call it an invasion. I am stating the facts. I am not siding with either government.

Your words do not agree with you, as you are clearly on the side of the CCP owning Taiwan rather than being on Taiwan's side as an entirely independent entity.

Right now the German Air Force has a dozen aircraft deployed to Australia for an exercise.

Sixteen visiting nations are taking part in Australian Air Force exercise "Pitch Black 2022" in Darwin. Including for the first time ever, Germany, Japan and South Korea. 140 Aircraft including fighters, EW planes, transports and refueling aircraft are involved. Typhoon's, SU-30's, F-2's, F-15, F-16, FA-18, F-35's fighter jets are all involved. These exercises happen every two years, however the previous 2020 event was cancelled due to Covid.

FYI - for History Buffs:

Formosa - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republic_of_Formosa

Isn't it contradictory on the part of the U.S., then, that it takes action against Beijing's One China policy and pledges to defend Taiwan militarily by all means?’

That ambiguity has always been a feature of Taiwan's status.

Is this some sort of flex or something on Japan's behalf? 

The Japanese government fears China might actually take Taiwan by force, and if they succeed they will be emboldened to attack the Ryukyus next. And even if the Chinese were to fail to take Taiwan, Japan would find it impossible to avoid becoming part of the war just due to the proximity of some of its small islands and the raw hatred of the Chinese for Japan. I do not think Japan is alone in having this concern. Right now the German Air Force has a dozen aircraft deployed to Australia for an exercise. Have you ever heard of the Luftwaffe operating in the Pacific? That is how concerned nations are.

OssanAmerica.

Taiwan was/is a province of China. Every Chinese on earth agrees with that. And I am sure all of the neighboring countries agree with that too. Chiang Kai Shek's forces had nowhere to go but Taiwan. They lost the civil war. Some old folks said every year they vowed to return to the mainland on day of the Moon Festival. So the mainland wants to unify with Taiwan, and vice versa. And the US says "One China policy." China says it is an internal conflict or affair. Taiwan does not want to be part of China. You can call it an invasion. I am stating the facts. I am not siding with either government.

Desert Tortoise (today 04:47 am JST)

China considers Taiwan is a renegade province which must be integrated into the mainland by force if necessary. The fact that the U.S. diplomatically agreed with Beijing as regards its One China policy means the U.S. has fully acknowledged China's claim. 

Isn't it contradictory on the part of the U.S., then, that it takes action against Beijing's One China policy and pledges to defend Taiwan militarily by all means?’

The problem I want to take issue with here is how the Taiwanese themselves feel about this ruckus going over their heads. Isn’t it the case that the Taiwanese themselves want to maintain the status quo and live life peacefully with no outside intervention?

"In 1894, China and Japan went to war. The Japanese defeated China's Beiyang fleet. Although nearly all the fighting took place in northern China, Japan had important territorial ambitions in southern China. The Japanese took steps to ensure that Taiwan would be ceded to Japan under the eventual peace treaty and that they were well placed militarily to occupy the island."

@noriahojanen Both sides have long-standing quasi-government agencies to handle cross Straits business and negotiations. The PRC has the Taiwan Affairs Office (国务院台湾事务办公室) and Taiwan has Mainland Affairs Council (大陸委員會). I'm sure you are well aware that the Mainland is Taiwans #1 trade partner. Taiwan is a leading investor on the Mainland.

The English signed plenty of treaties with militarily defeated peoples on every contentment. That makes them a -choose offensive language- with a stack of papers in their hands.

China and Japan have known of one another for 1,500+ years. I hope Japan enjoyed the 50 years of those 1,500 when it was stronger than China. Objective history judges that 50 year period harshly.

Is this some sort of flex or something on Japan's behalf? In the end, how did this grand experiment in imperialism work out? Queue photos of flattened Japanese cities and hungry people.

@Johnken6

Here is a novel way to make China run out of fuel, rockets, shells and aeroplanes:

Have international diplomatic delegates visit it monthly.

LOL they are using old near expiring ordinance for each one they use they make 2 new ones. China has enough resources stockpiled to continue doing so for the next 50 years if not longer.

For those wondering about some Japanese politicians' fondness for former President Lee Teng-hui, Li was raised in a Taiwan occupied by Japan. Lee served as a second lieutenant in the Imperial Japanese Army.

Tsai expressed appreciation for late Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's declaration that a Chinese attack on Taiwan would constitute an emergency for Tokyo and the Japan-U.S. alliance.

Another example of Abe's lip service to the international community getting exposure.

Wonder how many countries he used those words on, Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia, Indonesia? "constitute an emergency" What does that mean exactly well covid19 gives us a pretty good clue. Quasi...

@Johnken6 If this is a serious question, my guess would be Lithuania as they have been having a trade and political fight with the PRC over the past few years. Do not expect any major players to do the same as the PRC market is too important. Bonus points for being a permanent Security Council member.

That's cool, I guess. Lee certainly didn't receive any lessons on democracy during Japan's era of imperialism and colonialism.

The fondness is based on Lee Teng Hui's fondness for Japan and his goal of making Taiwan a succesful democracy following Japan's post-war pattern.

And then Pelosi stirred up the trouble.

Japanese lawmakers meet Taiwan's Tsai:

Why would Beijing not become bored in issuing stern warnings to US and Japan incessantly?

When people won't listen, stop telling them.

Instead keep calm, do the necessary, be prepared for future outcome..

Japan: "It's such a pleasure to meet you. We can assure you that although we officially recognize you as part of China and we cannot change that for fear of angering Beijing, we fully support you and will fight for you against China... unless it means pulling out of resource projects, endangering exports, or threatens Japan. Trust us (wink)".

Why not? Stirring up tensions in Taiwan is in Japan's longterm economic interest. It's one of the most likely candidates to relocate TSMC's chip manufacturing capacity should war break out.

They keep pushing China into taking action. They push and push until China will have had enough and decides to invade Taiwan. Then the US and it’s puppet Japan will sit back without lending a helping hand as they have done with Ukraine ( forget about how the US and it’s puppets demolished the Middle East and made it into a terrorist territory )! There is a one China policy in existence and this is recognized by the US and Japan but they seem to don’t care a bit about that. If the situation was reversed and China had done such a thing than they would have been bashed for making a mockery of the policy! Stop testing the patience of China and leave Taiwan alone. Until now everything has been running smoothly and Taiwan was not in danger but the actions of America and it’s puppets is going to cause trouble! All the foreigners here who are supporting the behavior of the US and Japan really want war and they’ll be the first ones running back to the US or watching from a distance when the war eventually occurs in Taiwan!

Starting with U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and her delegation followed by another group of House representatives, the U.S. seems to be making ripples in the otherwise tranquil waters of the Taiwan Strait.

As if not to be outdone by the U.S initiatives, Japan seems to have sent its own lawmakers, who met with Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen, assuring her Japan's full supports in case of an emergency.

 I wonder how the Taiwanese themselves are thinking about this ruckus surrounding their island.

provocative !? I am not sure if this is the best time to visit Taiwan but I guess I don't know since I am not a politician nor a national security expert.

Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, Thailand, The Philippines and other democracies in the area share the same democratic values and are facing the same ""threat"", visiting Taiwan at this time may not be in the best interest of Japan!!!!!

We will have to die for Taiwan, I hope we get some semiconductors in return.

older Taiwanese love Japan and can in many places speak Japanese

Japan helping other countries people? Innovative.