TAIPEI (TVBS News) — In a low-profile visit to Taiwan from Nov. 23 to 25, Okinawa Governor Denny Tamaki met with key figures including Su Jia-chyuan, the president of the Taiwan-Japan Relations Association (TJRA), and Paul Hsu, the Chairman of the General Chamber of Commerce of the Republic of China (ROCCOC).
The TJRA highlighted that Tamaki's trip centered around meetings with economic and tourism-related groups from Okinawa, explicitly noting no engagements with official Taiwanese government entities.
During his visit on Nov. 24, Tamaki expressed gratitude to Su for discussions aimed at fostering tourism and economic exchanges between Taiwan and Okinawa. The Okinawa governor has a history of frequent visits to Taiwan, leading delegations almost annually before the pandemic.
Hsu revealed that Tamaki's primary objective was to explore business cooperation, engaging with Japanese business representatives and Okinawan officials in discussions. Emphasizing a proactive approach, Hsu suggested promptly arranging enterprise delegations based on mutual needs to Okinawa, while Tamaki affirmed Okinawa's openness to cooperative trade dealings with Taiwan.
Confirming Tamaki's departure from Taiwan on Nov. 25, Hsu clarified that the visit was meticulously planned, steering clear of political or Taiwan Strait issues. Both parties anticipate swift progress toward further collaboration.
Hsu extended an invitation for Tamaki to revisit Taiwan to savor TORO, the prized bluefin tuna, and proposed leading a Taiwanese group to relish Wagyu beef in Okinawa. The exchange concluded with the mutual presentation of local specialties as mementos of their meeting.