Deputy speaker leads legislative delegation to Japan

Taoyuan, March 10 (CNA) A legislative delegation led by Deputy Legislative Speaker Johnny Chiang (江啓臣) departed Taiwan for Japan early Sunday to attend an Asian Pacific parliamentarian meeting in Tokyo next week.

The 14-member cross-party delegation will be attending the 86th Council Meeting and 52nd General Assembly of the Asian-Pacific Parliamentarians' Union (APPU) to be held in Japan's capital city from March 11 to 13, Chiang told reporters at the Taoyuan International Airport.

The trip marks the first overseas made by a Taiwanese lawmakers group since the nation's 11th Legislature was sworn in in February, according to Chiang, in the wake of the country's general elections on Jan. 13.

The new Legislature has a four-year term until 2028.

The theme of this year's meeting will be focusing on major disasters prevention and risk reduction in the wake of climate change, Chiang said, adding that next week's meeting also marks the first time an in-person APPU annual gathering is held since the COVID-19 outbreak.

"Taiwan has the experience and expertise in these areas so we are eager to share with APPU members," he said at the airport prior to the delegation's departure.

Aside from attending the three-day meeting, Taiwanese lawmakers are also expected to conduct discussions with major political parties and politicians in Japan on issues concerning economic and trade, cultural and security fronts to deepen two-way exchanges, he added.

APPU was founded in 1965 under the name of the Asian Parliamentarians' Union (APU) by parliamentarians from five nations in Asia -- Taiwan, Japan, Korea, the Philippines and Thailand -- with the aims of achieving and preserving freedom and democracy, thereby securing peace and prosperity in Asia, said on APPU website.

With expanded cooperation between APU member nations and the Pacific island nations, the organization later changed its name to APPU in order to widen its scope and to strengthen solidarity and the force of freedom in the Asian-Pacific region, it added.

According to Taiwan's foreign ministry, parliamentarians from a total of 13 countries in Southeast Asia and the South Pacific will also join the meeting in Tokyo.