APEC Trade Ministers' Meeting to be Held in Suzhou, China; Yang Jen-ni to Lead Delegation
The 2026 APEC Trade Ministers' Meeting will be held in Suzhou, China, with Taiwan sending a delegation led by Political Commissioner Yang Jen-ni. Taiwan insists on its right to equal treatment within APEC despite pressure from China.
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- 📰 Published: May 12, 2026 at 15:24
- 🔍 Collected: May 12, 2026 at 15:32 (7 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: May 13, 2026 at 07:44 (16h 12m after Collected)
Central News Agency
(Central News Agency reporter Wu Shu-han, Taipei, 12th) The 2026 APEC Trade Ministers' Meeting will be held from May 22 to 23 in Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, China. Zhang Zhi-sa, Deputy Director of the Department of International Organizations, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, stated today that Executive Yuan Political Commissioner and Chief Negotiator of the Office of Trade Negotiations (OTN) Yang Jen-ni will lead OTN and Ministry of Foreign Affairs officials to attend.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs held a regular press conference today, where Zhang Zhi-sa provided a business briefing. The media was concerned about China hosting the 2026 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders' Meeting and a series of meetings, which are scheduled to be held in various cities in China this month. Questions were raised about whether Taiwan would send representatives and if there had been any suppression from China.
Zhang Zhi-sa explained that Taiwan is a formal member of APEC, and Taiwan always sends delegations to annual APEC senior officials, ministerial meetings, and the APEC annual meeting. China is hosting APEC senior officials meetings, trade ministers' meetings, and women's economic meetings in different provinces and cities this time, and Taiwan also has delegations participating. Current participation arrangements follow Taiwan's past treatment of equal participation.
Regarding the upcoming APEC Trade Ministers' Meeting, Zhang Zhi-sa stated that Yang Jen-ni is planned to lead officials from the Executive Yuan's Office of Trade Negotiations and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to attend. The current arrangements are also customary, based on equal treatment. Taiwan will also make good use of APEC's consensus-based decision-making power to engage in close communication and liaison with like-minded countries or with issues promoted by the host economy.
Zhang Zhi-sa stated that Taiwan joined APEC in 1991, and at that time signed an MOU with host country South Korea, which stipulated that Taiwan would participate equally, with the membership name "Chinese Taipei." When China or its allied countries host APEC, it is indeed possible for them to take actions that violate APEC conventions and interfere with Taiwan's equal participation. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and relevant ministries will use the APEC Memorandum of Understanding or through the APEC Secretariat to appeal for Taiwan's rights, and will also work with like-minded countries and use APEC's consensus-based decision-making to counter China's suppression of Taiwan.
Zhang Zhi-sa emphasized that the Republic of China (Taiwan) and the People's Republic of China are not subordinate to each other. China repeatedly attempts to violate APEC conventions and practices to undermine Taiwan's equal participation in APEC, which will not be accepted by other APEC members and violates the core principles of APEC consensus and equal participation. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will continue to strive for Taiwan's due rights as a formal member. (Editor: Lin Hsing-meng) 1150512
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(Central News Agency reporter Wu Shu-han, Taipei, 12th) The 2026 APEC Trade Ministers' Meeting will be held from May 22 to 23 in Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, China. Zhang Zhi-sa, Deputy Director of the Department of International Organizations, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, stated today that Executive Yuan Political Commissioner and Chief Negotiator of the Office of Trade Negotiations (OTN) Yang Jen-ni will lead OTN and Ministry of Foreign Affairs officials to attend.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs held a regular press conference today, where Zhang Zhi-sa provided a business briefing. The media was concerned about China hosting the 2026 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders' Meeting and a series of meetings, which are scheduled to be held in various cities in China this month. Questions were raised about whether Taiwan would send representatives and if there had been any suppression from China.
Zhang Zhi-sa explained that Taiwan is a formal member of APEC, and Taiwan always sends delegations to annual APEC senior officials, ministerial meetings, and the APEC annual meeting. China is hosting APEC senior officials meetings, trade ministers' meetings, and women's economic meetings in different provinces and cities this time, and Taiwan also has delegations participating. Current participation arrangements follow Taiwan's past treatment of equal participation.
Regarding the upcoming APEC Trade Ministers' Meeting, Zhang Zhi-sa stated that Yang Jen-ni is planned to lead officials from the Executive Yuan's Office of Trade Negotiations and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to attend. The current arrangements are also customary, based on equal treatment. Taiwan will also make good use of APEC's consensus-based decision-making power to engage in close communication and liaison with like-minded countries or with issues promoted by the host economy.
Zhang Zhi-sa stated that Taiwan joined APEC in 1991, and at that time signed an MOU with host country South Korea, which stipulated that Taiwan would participate equally, with the membership name "Chinese Taipei." When China or its allied countries host APEC, it is indeed possible for them to take actions that violate APEC conventions and interfere with Taiwan's equal participation. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and relevant ministries will use the APEC Memorandum of Understanding or through the APEC Secretariat to appeal for Taiwan's rights, and will also work with like-minded countries and use APEC's consensus-based decision-making to counter China's suppression of Taiwan.
Zhang Zhi-sa emphasized that the Republic of China (Taiwan) and the People's Republic of China are not subordinate to each other. China repeatedly attempts to violate APEC conventions and practices to undermine Taiwan's equal participation in APEC, which will not be accepted by other APEC members and violates the core principles of APEC consensus and equal participation. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will continue to strive for Taiwan's due rights as a formal member. (Editor: Lin Hsing-meng) 1150512
Choose to stand with the facts, every sponsorship you provide is a force protecting press freedom.
Download the Central News Agency's 'First Hand News' APP to stay updated with the latest news instantly.
Text, images, and audio/video on this website may not be reproduced, publicly broadcast, publicly transmitted, or utilized without authorization.