Taiwan Labour Minister Hung Sun-han said he was treated with equal dignity during a rare visit to China for an Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meeting, pushing back against concerns that Taiwan could have been politically sidelined during the trip.
Hung returned to Taiwan on Sept. 22 after travelling to China for an APEC human resources meeting. He became the first minister from President Lai Ching-te’s administration to make a ministerial-level trip to China, highlighting the unusual nature of the visit amid strained cross-strait relations.
Speaking after his arrival at Taoyuan International Airport, Hung said China fulfilled its responsibilities as the host of the APEC meeting by giving Taiwan the same treatment and dignity as other participating members. He said his delegation did not encounter any situation in which they were belittled during their participation.
The visit took place as Beijing has continued to apply military and political pressure on Taipei. China has rejected repeated calls for dialogue from Lai, while describing him as a separatist. Taiwan’s government maintains that its future should be determined by its people.
Hung also said he entered China using an official invitation letter for the APEC meeting rather than a Taiwan compatriot permit, a document commonly used by Taiwanese travelling to mainland China. The distinction was notable given the political sensitivities surrounding official contact between Taipei and Beijing.
Taiwan participates in APEC under the name “Chinese Taipei”, while China considers Taiwan part of its territory. The APEC framework has nevertheless provided one of the few settings where officials and representatives from both sides can participate in the same regional institution.
Hung described returning home as more relaxing, but his trip has drawn attention because Taiwan’s government has otherwise maintained limited high-level official travel to mainland China. Lower-level Taiwanese officials have attended APEC activities in China previously, while Taiwan’s president does not attend the annual leaders’ summit.
The episode comes ahead of the November APEC leaders’ summit in Shenzhen, where Taiwan has yet to announce its representative. How Taipei handles participation in the meeting could provide another indication of how economic and regional engagement through APEC will be managed amid continuing political and military tensions across the Taiwan Strait.
