TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – Foreign Minister Joseph Wu told a legislative session on Friday (Feb. 24) that Taiwan will try to get President Tsai Ing-wen to attend the APEC meeting.
In response to DPP legislator Wang Dingyu’s question about the president’s attendance at the multilateral annual meeting, Wu Yi said that Taiwan is a member of APEC and enjoys the same rights and obligations as other member states, and will continue to promote this, Liberty Times reported.
Premier Chen Jianren said that this matter needs further discussion with the host country to see if it is possible.
Wang also asked whether the closed-door security dialogue between Taiwanese and U.S. officials at the American Taiwan Institute in Virginia was unprecedented or a result of the Taiwan Travel Act. Wu said that Taiwan-US high-level dialogue has a long history.
For the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, being able to maintain this kind of regular communication with the US to discuss issues of common concern is of great significance and will also deepen the relationship between the two countries.
KMT legislator Zeng Mingzong expressed concern about what Wu discussed with U.S. officials at last week’s meeting. Communications between Taiwan and the United States are unimpeded and opinions are often shared on issues of mutual concern, but the contents of the meetings will not be disclosed to the public, Wu said.
Zeng then asked the president if he would visit the United States this year. Wu said that the president’s schedule is an important part of diplomacy, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs draws up visit plans according to the instructions of the presidential palace.
This year’s APEC meeting will be held in San Francisco from March 19-23 under the theme “Creating a Resilient and Sustainable Future for All”. The conference will cover issues such as food security, health, anti-corruption, digitalisation, women’s economic empowerment and underrepresented communities.
“The United States is delighted to host APEC in 2023. In the host year, we want to be ambitious and innovative in our priorities,” Pyle said. “The themes and priorities reflect what we hear from member economies and stakeholders on advancing a realistic economic policy agenda that benefits workers, businesses and families in all our economies,” said APEC Senior Officials Meeting Chair Mike Pyle said at a conference. Meeting in December.
