TAIPEI — Taiwan Labor Minister Hung Sun-han is set to travel to Nanjing, China, for an APEC ministerial meeting, representing Taiwan under the established “Chinese Taipei” designation as Taipei stresses equal participation and reciprocal dignity.
Hung is scheduled to attend the APEC Human Resources Development Ministerial Meeting on Sept. 21, becoming the first government ministry head under President Lai Ching-te’s administration to visit mainland China.
The trip has drawn attention because it comes amid heightened cross-Strait tensions and a continuing dispute over how Taiwan should participate in international organizations hosted by China.
‘Chinese Taipei’ Is Taiwan’s Established APEC Name
Taiwan has participated in APEC since 1991 under the name “Chinese Taipei.”
Hung said Taiwan would follow existing APEC rules and established practices, emphasizing that Taiwan is a full participating member and should be treated with equal dignity.
He said the location of the meeting would not change Taiwan’s approach to international participation.
The designation itself is therefore not a new condition announced for Hung’s trip. It is the established name Taiwan uses within APEC.
Beijing and Taipei Disagree Over the Rules
The more sensitive issue is Beijing’s interpretation of Taiwan’s participation.
China’s Taiwan Affairs Office has said Beijing will handle Taiwan-related participation according to what it calls the “one China” principle, as well as relevant APEC memorandums and established practices.
Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council has rejected that characterization, saying Taiwan is a full APEC member and that its participation should not be downgraded or made conditional on Beijing’s political position.
The council has called for China, as this year’s APEC host, to ensure equal participation by all members.
Taipei Says Hung Will Defend Taiwan’s Participation Rights
Hung said he would attend the meeting under existing APEC procedures and that Taiwan would clearly communicate its position if problems arose.
His guiding principles are “equal participation and reciprocal dignity.”
Taiwanese authorities have also conducted security assessments and contingency planning for officials attending APEC meetings in China.
The Mainland Affairs Council said government representatives can travel to the meetings using their official APEC invitations rather than a Taiwan compatriot permit, consistent with arrangements used for previous APEC meetings held in China.
A Rare Visit by a Taiwan Minister
Hung’s trip is notable because it will be the first visit to China by a minister heading a government ministry during Lai’s presidency.
However, Taiwanese officials have previously traveled to China for APEC-related meetings.
In May, then-Minister Without Portfolio and Taiwan’s trade representative Yang Chen-ni led a delegation to an APEC trade ministers’ meeting in Suzhou, with the visit proceeding without reported incidents.
Taiwanese officials have therefore portrayed Hung’s upcoming trip as part of Taiwan’s established participation in APEC rather than a change in cross-Strait policy.
Labor Policy Takes Center Stage
The Nanjing meeting will focus on human-resource development and labor policy, giving Taiwan an opportunity to share its experience on workforce issues with other APEC economies.
Hung previously attended the same APEC ministerial meeting in Jeju, South Korea, in 2025, where Taiwan discussed issues including cross-border skilled labor and overseas recruitment models.
His delegation is expected to focus on policy discussions rather than bilateral political negotiations with Beijing.
The Bigger APEC Picture
The ministerial meeting is only one part of China’s hosting of APEC this year.
The APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting is scheduled for November in Shenzhen, although Taiwan’s participation arrangements for that leaders’ meeting remain a separate issue.
That makes Hung’s Nanjing visit an important test of how Taiwan and China manage the practical arrangements surrounding official APEC participation amid broader political tensions.
For now, Taipei is emphasizing continuity: Taiwan will participate in APEC under the established “Chinese Taipei” name, while insisting that its participation must remain consistent with the forum’s rules and its status as a member economy.
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