Taiwan has appointed Mr. Stan Shih, founder of Acer, as its special representative to the 2026 APEC Leaders' Meeting in Shenzhen, China, while demanding that China provide a written assurance allowing Taiwan's delegation to participate equally, with dignity and safety, amid disputes over Taiwan's status.
Taiwan's Presidential Office announced that Mr. Stan Shih, founder and honorary chairman of Acer Group, has been appointed as Taiwan's special envoy to the 2026 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Leaders' Meeting, which will be held in Shenzhen, southern China.
Karen Kuo, spokesperson for Taiwan’s Presidential Office, said President Tsai Ing-wen personally chose Mr. Shih due to his international perspective and industrial expertise, hoping he will effectively present Taiwan’s economic and trade positions and experiences at the meeting.
Mr. Shih previously represented Taiwan at the 2007 APEC meeting in Sydney, Australia, and is familiar with key agenda topics including artificial intelligence, digital economy, and technological innovation.
The APEC Leaders' Meeting is scheduled for 18-19 November, preceded by the final senior officials' meeting and the APEC Business Advisory Council meetings from 14-18 November.
Ms. Kuo urged China to honor its written commitments and fulfill its role as host by guaranteeing Taiwan's delegation can participate equally, with dignity and safety, in all meeting forums, noting that APEC members have a consensus on equal participation for all parties.
The Presidential Office spokesperson emphasized that Taiwan has participated as a full and equal APEC member since 1991 under the memorandum of understanding and APEC's established practices, which are unrelated to Beijing’s one-China principle claims.
This statement responds to China's reaffirmation that Taiwan’s participation in APEC must comply with the one-China principle.
China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that Taiwan's participation arrangements follow the one-China principle as well as relevant rules and practices of the memorandum of understanding, adding that if these are followed, Taiwan's representatives can normally attend the meetings, though no further details were provided.
Taiwan’s democratically elected government rejects China’s sovereignty claims, affirming that Taiwan’s future is determined solely by its people, while both sides do not officially recognize each other's governments.
Taiwan’s Labor and Finance Ministers have already attended APEC meetings in China this year without incident. However, Taiwan’s Foreign Minister Joseph Wu revealed earlier this month that China did not send officials to invite Taiwan’s leader in person to the summit, instead sending the invitation by email.
Taiwan typically sends former senior officials or business leaders as special envoys to APEC to avoid political issues and to network with high-level representatives from close partners like the United States and Japan.
Before departing, Mr. Shih and President Tsai will hold a press conference on Taiwan’s APEC delegation at the Presidential Office at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, 12 November.
Sources told CNA that President Tsai has three main goals for this trip: raising Taiwan’s international voice, highlighting Taiwan’s indispensable role in the global semiconductor supply chain, and reaffirming Taiwan’s commitment to peace and prosperity in the region.
Since China opposes Taiwan’s leader attending directly, Taiwan’s president will not attend the APEC Leaders’ Meeting in person but will appoint a special envoy to represent Taiwan.
This year’s APEC meeting is also closely watched amid expectations that U.S. President Donald Trump will meet Chinese President Xi Jinping for their third summit this year in Shenzhen.
/sourceReuters/Focus Taiwan