Taiwan is preparing to send its labor minister to China to attend the APEC ministerial meeting this month, amid scrutiny of China's stance as host after Beijing has steadily increased pressure on Taiwan. Hung Sun-han, Taiwan's Minister of Labor, has been invited to attend the 7th APEC Human Resources Development Ministerial Meeting, scheduled to take place in Nanjing on September 21. China's Taiwan Affairs Office stated that it will consider Taiwan's participation in accordance with the One-China principle, relevant APEC memoranda of understanding, and established practices, but did not specify whether Hung would be allowed to travel. If the trip occurs, Hung would be the first Taiwanese minister to visit China since President Lai Ching-te took office in 2024. Taiwan has been a member of APEC since 1991 under the name "Chinese Taipei" and has consistently sent representatives to meetings, including those hosted by China in 2014. Most recently, in May, a former head of Taiwan's trade negotiation office attended an APEC trade ministers' meeting hosted by China. However, China's stance toward Taiwan in international forums has intensified. On Monday (August 31), China objected to Taiwan's participation in a Pacific islands meeting in Palau and threatened retaliatory measures. In May, Taiwan accused China of contributing to Kenya's blocking of a Taiwanese scholar from attending an ocean affairs meeting in Mombasa.
