TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan seeks deeper engagement with Japan and like-minded partners, Deputy Foreign Minister Francois Wu (吳志中) said Wednesday.

Wu said ties with Japan have grown increasingly close in recent years. “We are very happy we can talk more and more with Japanese officials and diplomats, unofficially, without major obstacles,” he told Japan Times in an interview.

Wu said this is thanks to better people-to-people ties, adding that President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) wants to “build on this momentum” to increase exchanges between top officials.

Concerning Taiwan-Japan security cooperation, Wu acknowledged the limitations and said the best thing Tokyo can do for regional stability is to protect its national interests and oppose unilateral changes to the status quo.

Wu pointed out that Taiwan has 111 foreign missions despite widespread diplomatic recognition. 

“We are a democracy, we live in this region. We exist. We have our power. We have our technology, our justice system and we function very well,” he said. For any country willing to cooperate with Taiwan, including in semiconductors “you just need to come and talk with us,” the deputy foreign minister said.