Chiang Chi-chen (seventh left), vice president of Taiwan’s Legislative Yuan, is joined by other lawmakers at the 52nd General Assembly of the Asian-Pacific Parliamentarians’ Union March 12 in Tokyo. (Courtesy of LY)
 

Taiwan’s lawmakers took part in the 52nd General Assembly of the Asian-Pacific Parliamentarians’ Union March 12 in Tokyo, according to the Legislative Yuan.

The event, themed around preventing and mitigating climate change, involved allies Palau and the Marshall Islands, as well as Guam, Kiribati, Japan, Malaysia, Nauru, Papua New Guinea, Thailand and the Philippines. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida delivered a speech via a video link during the event.

Led by LY Vice President Chiang Chi-chen, Taiwan’s cross-party group included legislators Hung Sun-han, Ko Chih-en and Wang Ting-yu, all of whom urged APPU member states to support Taiwan’s participation in the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change.

Wang said climate change knows no borders and the issue has nothing to do with politics. He added that the international community must not exclude Taiwan in this field.

Hung stressed that Taiwan has used high-tech monitoring devices to boost Pacific countries’ climate change adjustment capabilities, while Ko said the issue needs to be tackled promptly and that Taiwan is ready and able to contribute more to global society.

According to the LY, three resolutions proposed by Taiwan’s delegation, including the one for the country’s UNFCCC engagement, have been unanimously approved by the assembly.

The Tokyo-headquartered APPU was established in 1965 as an exchange platform for the legislative bodies of its five founding members: Taiwan, Japan, South Korea, Thailand and the Philippines. There are now 21 member states. Next year’s general assembly will be hosted by Taiwan and the 2026 edition will be held by Papua New Guinea. (YCH-E)