Japan-Taiwan Dialogue Opening "The Role of Taiwan in the 21st Century"

The Japan-Taiwan Dialogue on "The Role of Taiwan in the 21st Century" was held in Tokyo on November 4-5, 1999 in collaboration with the Chinese Association for Eurasian Studies (see photo below).


Ten panelists, Okazaki Hisahiko, Senior Advisor, Hakuhodo Inc., Mano Teruhiko, Advisor to the President, Tokyo Research International, Yamamoto Takuma, Chairman Emeritus, Fujitsu Ltd., Wakabayashi Masahiro, Professor, Tokyo University and Ito Kenichi, Governor and Executive Director of The Global Forum of Japan from the Japanese side, and, Tseng Yung-hsieng, National Policy Advisor to the President of Taiwan and Executive Director of the Chinese Eura Asian Education Foundation, Chao Chun-shan, Professor, National Chengchi University, Chen Tain-jy, Professor, National Taiwan University, Chen Pochih, Professor, National Taiwan University and Lin Chia-lung, Associate Professor, National Chung Cheng University from the Taiwanese side, as well as 51 others, including The Global Forum of Japan members, participated in the Dialogue.

In the first session, under the theme of "Hopes for China-Taiwan Relations and Regional Stability", Professor Chao Chun-shan in his key-note address said that "President Li Teng-hui's statement, 'a special relationship between two countries', did not indicate a change of policy toward the continent. The instability of China-Taiwan relations was effecting China-US relations and the regional power balance. We hope that relations between both sides develop and that Taiwan's significance is recognized. In Taiwan there is the ability and will to build favorable relations between the two countries." In contrast to this, Mano Teruhiko in his keynote address for the second session under the theme of "Taiwan's Economy in the Era of Globalization", stated that "Rapid movement of funds was destroying real economy. Rather than everything being liberalized, there is a need to respond according to the stage of development. Of the countries of Asia, which are developing at varying rates, Japan could think about forming a free trade agreement with countries that have already developed to a certain degree. Taiwan would be one of the first countries."

The keynote addresses were followed by an open debate in which opinions such as "China should move away from the logic of a civil war and should take the view of how it can co-exist with Taiwan as part of the international society so that it is beneficial to regional peace and prosperity" and "Japan and Taiwan should cooperate to establish a free trade zone in the Asia Region" were briskly put forward.