TAIPEI, Taiwan: During a meeting with Koichi Hagiuda, policy chief of Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen pledged to deepen security cooperation with Japan.

Although Japan and Taiwan, a democratically governed island claimed by China, have no formal diplomatic relations, they have close unofficial ties and are concerned about Beijing's actions, especially its increased military activity in the region.

During their meeting in the presidential office in Taipei, Tsai thanked Hagiuda for Japan's support, such as maintaining security in the Taiwan Strait.

"We have seen in recent years Taiwan-Japan relations have become ever closer. In the future, Taiwan will continue to deepen cooperation with Japan in various fields, such as security, and work together to ensure the freedom, openness and stability of the Indo-Pacific region," she said.

Taiwan was a good friend with shared values, Hagiuda said in response.

"Taiwan is an extremely important partner and a valued friend of Japan, with whom Japan shares fundamental values, such as liberal democracy, basic human rights, and the rule of law, as well as close economic relations and personal exchanges. In this context, our help and cooperation with one another has built up over time," he stated.

In addition to attending a Sunday forum about Taiwan-Japan relations, Hagiuda told Tsai he would also visit the grave of former Taiwan President Lee Teng-hui to pay his respects.

As Beijing seeks to assert its sovereignty over the island, China staged military drills near Taiwan, including one in August to express anger at the visit by US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to Taipei, including launching five missiles into the sea close to Okinawa in Japan's exclusive economic zone.