Headed north, Huang hoping Taiwan can help ease Japan-China tensions

Taipei, Nov. 25 (CNA) Taiwan People's Party (TPP) Chairman Huang Kuo-chang (黃國昌) expressed the hope Tuesday as he set out on a four-day trip to Japan that Taiwan can help ease the current tensions between Japan and China.

Huang said before departing from Taipei Songshan Airport with a group of young party members that Taiwan and Japan maintain not only close ties but also a very friendly relationship.

On the rising China-Japan tensions, the TPP leader said Japan's reliance on energy imports through the Taiwan Strait makes it monitor the situation closely, while historical grievances and territorial disputes have recently been intensified by Taiwan-related issues for China.

He urged China and Japan to tone down their rhetoric to avoid further escalating tensions and said he hoped Taiwan could play a role in fostering harmony and balance rather than become a flashpoint, without elaborating on how to achieve that.

Regional security is key to Taiwan's own security, he said.

On Nov. 7, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi commented that a Chinese attack on Taiwan could constitute "a situation threatening Japan's survival" that could potentially trigger a military response.

The comment angered China, which has taken a series of measures aimed at hurting Japan's economy, including issuing advisories against travel and study in Japan and suspending the resumption of Japanese seafood imports.

When asked whether former TPP Chairman Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) had offered any advice for the Japan trip, Huang said he and Ko discuss everything openly.

He said Ko believes regional stability is vital for Taiwan's security, and that all parties should engage in rational dialogue rather than inflaming tensions when conflicts arise between China and Japan.