Taiwan labour minister makes rare China trip for APEC

Taiwan's labour minister Hung Sun-han travelled to China on Sunday for an APEC ministerial meeting, in the first such trip by a senior Taiwanese government official since President Lai Ching-te took office two years ago.

Hung took a 5:50 pm flight to Nanjing, in eastern China, where he is due to attend meetings on Monday before returning home, Taiwan's labour ministry said.

China is hosting this year's APEC meetings. Taiwan's participation had drawn concern because Beijing claims Taiwan as part of its territory and has threatened to take the self-ruled island by force if necessary.

Chen Binhua, a spokesman for China's Taiwan Affairs Office, said this month that Taiwan's participation in APEC meetings and activities would be handled according to the “one-China principle”.

Hung said his visit would follow “the existing pattern” and be based on “the principle of parity and dignity”. He said Taiwan's delegation would share experience on labour issues and human resources with other APEC member economies.

Taiwan's government said its delegates had already taken part in APEC meetings in several Chinese cities this year, including a May trip to Suzhou by then-top trade negotiator Yang Jen-ni.

The ministerial meetings are due to culminate in November at the APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting in Shenzhen, where Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump are expected to meet. APEC has 21 member economies and is one of the few international bodies in which Taiwan holds full membership.