TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A delegation of lawmakers from the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) asked for support for Taiwan’s bid to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) during its visit to Japan, reports said Wednesday (Sept. 14).

The 11-member trade group was launched in 2018 with Japan as one of its key members. Taiwan applied for membership in Sept. 2021, less than a week after China did, raising fears that Beijing will try to prevent Taipei from joining if its application is approved first.

The first stop on the DPP delegation’s Sept. 12-14 itinerary was a visit to the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) to express its condolences over the death of former Prime Minister Abe Shinzo, CNA reported. The LDP leader, who was assassinated in July during an election speech, was known as a supporter of Taiwan in the face of Chinese bullying.

Delegation leader Chiu Yi-ying (邱議瑩) said that during meetings with deputy ministers and legislators from the ruling and the opposition camp, the DPP legislators had asked for support for Taiwan’s membership of international organizations, including the CPTPP and the World Health Organization.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, in-person contacts between politicians from Japan and Taiwan were scaled back, but the DPP visit could herald the start of more intensive contacts in the near future, Chiu said.