Lawmakers from 24 countries met in Taipei, Taiwan to address concerns about China's increasing aggression in the region. Notably, South Korea was not represented at the gathering as it currently has no member lawmakers in the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC), a group uniting legislators from various nations to address democratic engagement with Beijing. South Korea's absence was noted with regret by fellow IPAC members, who emphasized the importance of democratic countries banding together to counter China's influence. Japanese Representative Gen Nakatani stressed the crucial role of parliaments in curbing China's actions and expressed a desire for South Korean parliamentarians to join IPAC, highlighting the universal importance of democracy, freedom, equality, and human rights. Australian Senator Deborah O'Neill acknowledged the turnover in democratic leadership and anticipated South Korea's re-engagement with IPAC. Additionally, Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te underscored the significance of democratic solidarity in standing against authoritarianism, while Taiwanese Vice Foreign Minister Chen Li-kuo emphasized the need for global democratic unity to prevent potential negative repercussions of Chinese aggression. This year's meeting in Taipei was attended by 49 lawmakers from 24 countries, while IPAC boasts hundreds of members from 35 nations, including major democracies like Australia, Canada, France, Germany, India, Japan, the Philippines, the United Kingdom, and the United States.