TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (外交部) announced Monday (Nov. 3) that China provided written assurances addressing equal treatment and personal safety concerns for Taiwan's participation in the upcoming APEC summit in Shenzhen. The diplomatic announcement follows the conclusion of the 2025 APEC summit in Gyeongju, South Korea, where Taiwan's participation rights and security emerged as prominent bilateral issues requiring immediate resolution through formal diplomatic channels.
Taiwan's APEC representative Lin Hsin-i (林信義) emphasized Taiwan's indispensable role in the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum during a Presidential Office press conference held to address participation concerns. Lin stated that Taiwan's active participation has consistently fostered significant cooperation and exchanges with member economies, while calling for equal and respectful treatment of Taiwan within the multilateral organization to ensure continued productive engagement.
Department of International Organizations Director-General Jonathan Sun (孫儉元) highlighted equal participation as APEC's core principle among all member economies. Sun revealed Taiwan and like-minded economies expressed concerns about equal treatment and safety since China applied to host APEC last year. China provided written assurances in November following collaborative diplomatic efforts.
Sun noted that Taiwan has consistently voiced its concerns in APEC meetings since December of last year, urging China to uphold its written commitments to ensure safety and equality for all participating economies. This ongoing diplomatic dialogue underscores the critical importance Taiwan places on maintaining its role and security within the APEC framework through persistent multilateral engagement and advocacy efforts.