TAIPEI (Kyodo) Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou met with ex-Defense Agency Director General Yoshinori Ono on Monday and expressed hope for closer cooperation with Japan and the United States on regional security, the presidential office said.
"We hope we can cooperate more closely in this regard," Ma was quoted as telling Ono.
Ono, a Liberal Democratic Party member of the Lower House, was head of the Defense Agency from 2004 to 2005.
Commenting on Taiwan's relations with China, Ma told Ono the improvement in ties across the Taiwan Strait has greatly eased tensions between the two political rivals.
The improved ties between are "good not only for the security of East Asia but also for Japan's national security," Ma was quoted as saying.
On the Chinese missiles targeted at Taiwan, Ma told Ono that Taiwan has raised the issue but Beijing has not made a conciliatory response.
Ma expressed hope for closer cooperation among Taiwan, Japan and the United States on regional security while addressing the threat of China's missiles, the presidential office said.
In 2005, while Ono was head of the Defense Agency, Japan and the United States adopted a "common strategic objective" calling for a peaceful resolution of issues between China and Taiwan.
