On the morning of August 25, Legislative Yuan Vice President Dr. Johnny C. Chiang (江啟臣) led a cross-party delegation to the first session of the Asian-Pacific Parliamentarians’ Union (APPU) agenda. In the afternoon, DPP Legislator Chen Kuan-Ting represented Taiwan to deliver the session’s first “National Report.”
Taiwan’s National Report opened by noting that, amid geopolitical challenges and the restructuring of supply chains, maintaining a free and open economic order has become a shared regional priority. It emphasized that Taiwan, as the world’s 22nd-largest economy and with a dominant position in semiconductor foundry services and advanced manufacturing process technologies, is an indispensable partner in the global technology sector and digital economy.
To advance its energy transition and strengthen the resilience of its industrial base, Taiwan is actively promoting the Five Trusted Industry Sectors, including semiconductors, artificial intelligence, and security and surveillance, while also pursuing a second energy transition aimed at building a more resilient power grid and diversifying green energy sources. The report further noted that Taiwan continues to leverage technology and international cooperation to safeguard food supply chains and maintain the order of maritime routes, thereby enhancing its overall national resilience.
The report concluded by reaffirming that complex challenges, including those involving economic and energy security, can no longer be addressed by any single country acting alone. Taiwan will therefore continue to deepen cooperation with like-minded countries in building democratic supply chains and looks forward to working with APPU member countries through parliamentary and other multilevel exchanges to advance the vision of a Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP). Through such cooperation, Taiwan hopes to help foster an open, inclusive, and resilient Indo-Pacific, safeguard regional peace and stability, and ensure sustainable prosperity for future generations.
Representatives of other member countries then presented their respective National Reports. The National Report of the Marshall Islands, in particular, highlighted the steady progress of the credit guarantee mechanism established through Taiwan-Marshall Islands cooperation. Tuvalu’s representative began by condemning Beijing’s missile test launches as irresponsible actions that threatened security in the Pacific, before presenting the country’s National Report. The report also expressed Tuvalu’s hope of further strengthening cooperation with Taiwan and other key partners in the Asia-Pacific region.
After all National Reports had been presented, APPU General Assembly Chair and Japanese House of Representatives Member Yamaguchi Shunichi formally announced that Palau would host the next, 55th General Assembly and 89th Council Meeting. This marked the successful conclusion of the afternoon session.
That evening, Vice President Chiang and members of the delegation attended a banquet hosted by Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs Shimada Tomoaki, who is also a member of Japan’s House of Representatives. In his remarks, Parliamentary Vice-Minister Shimada warmly welcomed the participating delegations. He noted that the international environment is changing rapidly and expressed hope that continued dialogue and cooperation among countries would help reinforce and safeguard peace in the Asia-Pacific region. He also referred to Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae’s recently announced Power Asia initiative, which aims to stabilize energy supplies and strengthen related supply chains. He concluded by expressing hope that relations among APPU member countries would grow even stronger and more dynamic, and that their friendships would continue to deepen.
Japanese House of Councillors Member Yamamoto Junzo then delivered the toast. He thanked representatives from all participating countries for their enthusiastic participation, which had contributed to the successful convening of this year’s General Assembly. He also recalled the APPU meetings hosted by Taiwan in 2025, praising the General Assembly and the two accompanying banquets as highly memorable occasions during which participants from all countries had enjoyed a wonderful time. House of Councillors Member Yamamoto also expressed hope that the evening would offer another opportunity for parliamentarians from APPU member countries to deepen their friendships and work together for the development of the Asia-Pacific region. He then invited the guests to raise their glasses, marking the start of the banquet.
During the event, Vice President Chiang and legislators from across party lines personally thanked Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Parliamentary Vice-Minister Shimada for their warm hospitality. In a friendly and harmonious atmosphere, they also engaged in cordial exchanges with a number of Japanese Diet members and Ministry of Foreign Affairs officials, further deepening Taiwan-Japan ties. The banquet concluded after approximately two hours, bringing the second day of the APPU agenda to a successful close. (2026/08/25)
