Taiwan is preparing to send its Labour Minister to the APEC summit in China on September 21st, which will be the first time a Taiwanese minister has visited China since the era of President Lai Ching-te.
On September 2, 2026, at 11:49 AM, Bloomberg News reported that Taiwan is preparing to send a minister to China to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit at the end of September, amidst questions about how Beijing will handle Taiwan's participation as China intensifies its efforts to limit Taiwan's territorial influence on the international stage.
Taiwan's Labor Minister, Hung Sun-han, revealed that he has received an invitation to attend the APEC Human Resource Development Ministerial Meeting, which will be held in Nanjing, China, on September 21, according to Taiwan's Central News Agency.
If the trip goes as planned, Hung will become the first Taiwanese minister to visit China since President Lai Ching-te took office in 2567.
Meanwhile, China's Taiwan Affairs Office stated that Beijing will proceed with Taiwan's participation in accordance with the one-China principle, relevant APEC memoranda of understanding, and existing practices.
APEC comprises 21 member economies around the Pacific Ocean. Taiwan has been a member since 1991 under the name Chinese Taipei, and its ministers regularly attend APEC meetings regardless of where they are held, including the meeting hosted by China in 2557.
Last May, Yang Jen-ni, then head of Taiwan's trade negotiating office, traveled to China to attend the APEC trade ministers' meeting.
However, China's hosting of this year's APEC summit has raised concerns that Beijing may use its host role to limit Taiwan's participation, following increased diplomatic pressure to isolate Taiwan from the international stage.
China considers Taiwan to be part of its territory and reaffirms its goal of reunifying Taiwan under Beijing's rule, without ruling out the possibility of using force. Taiwan, meanwhile, enjoys a self-governing democratic government.
William Yang, a senior analyst for Northeast Asia at the International Crisis Group, stated that Taiwan was allowed to participate in APEC under the name Chinese Taipei, so it would not be easy for Beijing to obstruct its direct participation.
However, as the host of this year's summit, China may still have influence over who Taiwan can appoint as its delegate representative.
The move comes as Beijing intensifies its efforts to exclude Taiwan from international activities . On Monday, China objected to Taiwan's participation in the Pacific Islands Forum held in Palau, warning of consequences without specifying details.
Previously, Taiwan also accused China of being behind Kenya's blocking of Taiwanese academics from attending a conference on ocean affairs in Mombasa.
The visit of Taiwan's Labour Minister to Nanjing is therefore being closely watched, not only as a rare visit by a Taiwanese minister to China, but also as a test of how Beijing will manage Taiwan's status at the APEC summit hosted by China, amidst high levels of cross-strait tensions.
Reference: www.bloomberg.com
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