Taiwan has been in talks with Japan on signing a mutual legal assistance treaty in criminal matters, including drug smuggling, a Taiwanese official told Kyodo News Tuesday.
Kuo Chung-shi, deputy director general of the foreign ministry's Department of East Asian and Pacific Affairs, said bilateral talks on the possibility of an accord have been going on through diplomatic and private channels since before President Ma Ying-jeou was elected in 2008.
Since then, Taiwan feels more urgency to expedite such talks as bilateral exchanges increase and cross-border crimes such as drug smuggling become more rampant, he said.
"Although we hope the talks will eventually lead to the signing of an agreement, Japan has its reservations," he said.
Likening signing the bilateral accord to a marriage, Kuo said "sometimes it takes a long time to make a life-long commitment after liking someone."
"They like us alright but they don't want to rush to a marriage," he said.
Kuo, who was involved in the talks with Japan, said the Ma administration hopes Taiwan will become Japan's first non-allied country to sign a mutual legal assistance treaty.
However, it will not be easy.
Taiwan and Japan broke diplomatic ties in 1972 after Tokyo switched allegiance to Beijing.
Since, Japan and Taiwan have signed more than 35 agreements and memoranda of understanding.
All pacts were signed by the heads of the quasi-official East Asian Relations Commission and the Japan Interchange Association, both of which serve as the de facto embassies of Taiwan and Japan in the absence of diplomatic ties.
Taiwan and China have been governed separately since they split amid a civil war in 1949. Beijing has since then endeavored to diplomatically isolate Taiwan, which it regards as a renegade province awaiting reunification.
While China and Taiwan have close economic ties, the two sides view each other as political rival.
Taiwan hopes to ink mutual legal assistance treaty with Japan | GlobalPost
Kuo Chung-shi, deputy director general of the foreign ministry's Department of East Asian and Pacific Affairs, said bilateral talks on the possibility of an accord have been going on through diplomatic and private channels since before President Ma Ying-jeou was elected in 2008.
Since then, Taiwan feels more urgency to expedite such talks as bilateral exchanges increase and cross-border crimes such as drug smuggling become more rampant, he said.
"Although we hope the talks will eventually lead to the signing of an agreement, Japan has its reservations," he said.
Likening signing the bilateral accord to a marriage, Kuo said "sometimes it takes a long time to make a life-long commitment after liking someone."
"They like us alright but they don't want to rush to a marriage," he said.
Kuo, who was involved in the talks with Japan, said the Ma administration hopes Taiwan will become Japan's first non-allied country to sign a mutual legal assistance treaty.
However, it will not be easy.
Taiwan and Japan broke diplomatic ties in 1972 after Tokyo switched allegiance to Beijing.
Since, Japan and Taiwan have signed more than 35 agreements and memoranda of understanding.
All pacts were signed by the heads of the quasi-official East Asian Relations Commission and the Japan Interchange Association, both of which serve as the de facto embassies of Taiwan and Japan in the absence of diplomatic ties.
Taiwan and China have been governed separately since they split amid a civil war in 1949. Beijing has since then endeavored to diplomatically isolate Taiwan, which it regards as a renegade province awaiting reunification.
While China and Taiwan have close economic ties, the two sides view each other as political rival.
Taiwan hopes to ink mutual legal assistance treaty with Japan | GlobalPost
