Ian Tsung-yen Chen, an assistant professor at National Sun Yat-sen University, said this is the first time for Japan and Taiwan to hold talks over "high politics," or issues involving national security, rather than the "low politics" of international trade, investment, or human rights.
"There's no simple coincidence in foreign affairs. The timing of the talks when Harris is visiting Southeast Asia indicates Washington's support over the talks between Tokyo and Taipei," Chen told Nikkei Asia. "We can view these events as part of the U.S.' efforts, as well as Japan's, to secure its interests in the Indo-Pacific [amid] the rise of China."
The professor said, however, it is a delicate matter for Japan to handle its warming relationship with Taiwan, given that Tokyo still has strong economic ties with Beijing. "The fact that this talk is conducted through lawmakers from both sides instead of government officials gives flexibility for Japan to not fully cross China's red lines."