At 9:30 a.m. on August 26, Legislative Yuan Vice President Dr. Johnny C. Chiang (江啟臣) led a cross-party delegation to the closing ceremony of the 54th General Assembly of the Asian-Pacific Parliamentarians’ Union (APPU) and joined the attending heads of delegations from member countries in signing a joint communique.
During discussions, Vice President Chiang stated that Taiwan is ready and willing to participate in international mechanisms, jointly safeguard the marine environment, and make active contributions. Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara also attended in person to extend his greetings, expressing his appreciation to all APPU member countries for their active participation and lively discussions at the meeting. He also offered his best wishes for the successful completion of subsequent meetings.
The joint communique confirmed that the General Assembly adopted a total of six resolutions. These included three initiatives proposed by Taiwan: calling on APPU member countries to cooperate in promoting the establishment of democratic and resilient supply chains; calling on APPU member countries to cooperate in strengthening food supply chain resilience; and calling for marine debris governance to be incorporated into regional supply chain resilience policy frameworks and aligned with international standards, while supporting Taiwan’s meaningful participation in international conferences on the marine environment and jointly deepening Indo-Pacific cooperation on marine environmental issues.
The meeting also adopted a resolution designating Taiwan’s diplomatic ally Palau as the host country for the 55th APPU General Assembly and the 89th Council Meeting in 2027. The Palau delegation sincerely invited all member countries to visit Palau next year for the occasion, so as to continue and deepen the strong bonds of friendship forged at this year’s General Assembly.
Toward the end of the closing ceremony, General Assembly Chair and Japanese House of Representatives Member Yamaguchi Shunichi delivered remarks thanking all member countries for their enthusiastic participation. He noted that, through this General Assembly, member countries had further strengthened mutual trust and friendship. He expressed hope that they would continue to uphold democratic values and work together for peace, stability, and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific region. Following his remarks, the 54th APPU General Assembly was officially declared successfully concluded.
After the meeting, Vice President Chiang and legislators in attendance warmly bid farewell to members of other delegations and took commemorative photos together, looking forward to reuniting in Palau next year. (20260826)
