TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Former Japanese Prime Minister Aso Taro will pay a three-day visit to Taiwan next week, reports said Friday (Aug. 4).

The politician, who also serves as vice president of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), last visited Taiwan in 2011, per CNA. Just last Tuesday (Aug. 1), he met with Kuomintang (KMT) presidential candidate Hou Yu-ih (侯友宜) in Tokyo.

Aso was scheduled to stay in Taiwan Aug. 7-9, but no official program had been announced yet. Foreign dignitaries of his level usually meet with President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文).

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) named Aso as one of the speakers at the Aug. 8 Ketagalan Forum Indo-Pacific Security Dialogue. Japan has shown concern about China’s increasing aggressiveness toward Taiwan, with the possibility that it would become involved if Beijing launched a blockade or an outright invasion.