Taipei: Labor Minister Hung Sun-han announced Tuesday his upcoming trip to Nanjing for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) ministerial meeting, marking the first visit by a ministry head in President Lai Ching-te's administration to China. The meeting, scheduled for September 21, will follow APEC's established rules and practices.

According to Focus Taiwan, Hung made the announcement at a Ministry of Labor event in Taipei, stating he had received a formal invitation for the APEC Human Resources Development Ministerial Meeting. He emphasized APEC's significance as an international multilateral cooperation platform where Taiwan can participate as a formal member. Hung highlighted the principle of "equal participation" as central to the forum's operations.

Hung described the trip as an opportunity to share Taiwan's insights on labor and workforce policies, asserting that the meeting's location in China would not alter Taiwan's approach to international participation. Before his appointment as labor minister in November 2024, Hung served as a lawmaker for the Democratic Progressive Party, known for its pro-independence stance. He has been vocal on human rights and political issues related to Hong Kong and Tibet, topics sensitive to Beijing.

Addressing potential security concerns, Hung mentioned that the trip's arrangements were discussed with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Mainland Affairs Council, and relevant national security bodies. He described the itinerary as "straightforward" and expressed confidence that the delegation would uphold its rights within APEC.

Hung previously attended the APEC Human Resources Development Ministerial Meeting on Jeju Island, South Korea, last year. Taiwan has participated in APEC under the name "Chinese Taipei" since joining in 1991.

This visit marks the first by a minister in the Lai administration to China amid ongoing tensions in cross-Strait relations, although other senior officials have traveled there for APEC events. In May, then-Minister without Portfolio and trade representative Yang Chen-ni led a delegation to the APEC trade ministers' meeting in Suzhou without incident.

Meanwhile, the Taiwan Affairs Office (TAO) in China stated that Hung's participation at APEC would be managed according to the "one China" principle and established APEC practices. The TAO spokesperson, Zhang Han, reiterated Beijing's consistent position on Taiwan-related issues at APEC. In response, Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) rejected the TAO's stance, affirming Taiwan's full membership in APEC and asserting that its status should not be conditional on any "one China" principle. The MAC called on China, as this year's APEC host, to ensure equal participation rights for all members.