Taiwan Names Acer Founder Stan Shih as APEC Envoy and Asks China for a Written Guarantee of Equal, Safe Participation

Status: Taiwan has named its envoy and asked for a written guarantee. The summit has not yet begun, and Beijing has not announced that it will provide the assurance Taipei is seeking.

Taiwan has appointed Acer founder Stan Shih as its representative to the APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting in Shenzhen on Nov. 18-19 and has asked China, this year's host economy, for a written guarantee that Taiwan's delegation can participate equally, with dignity and security, the Straits Times reported. Beijing, the newspaper reported, has said Taiwan may attend under the "one-China principle."

Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in a Nov. 4 statement, said Taiwan became a full APEC member in 1991, that the memorandum of understanding on its accession "did not mention a 'one China principle,'" and that it "clearly state[d] that Taiwan would participate in APEC meetings and activities on an equal basis with other member economies." The ministry said recent APEC ministerial statements, including language China supported, attached importance to all members participating "on an equal footing," and that in 2024 China provided a written assurance concerning the safety of participants and their entry and exit. It called on China, as host, to fulfill those commitments.

Separately, Defense Minister Wellington Koo said China is conducting anti-access and "area denial" drills in the Western Pacific involving the Liaoning aircraft-carrier group and other naval formations, the Straits Times reported. He said Taiwan would monitor the activity and exchange intelligence with allies. That description is Taiwan's assessment of the drills.