Labor Minister to Attend APEC Meeting in Nanjing — First Ministerial Visit to China Under Lai

Taiwan's Minister of Labor Hung Sun-han announced September 2, 2026 that he had received an official APEC invitation to attend the APEC Human Resources Development Ministerial Meeting in Nanjing on September 21 — the first ministerial-level visit to China since President Lai Ching-te took office in 2024. Hung said, 'Taiwan is a full member of APEC and entitled to take part in its proceedings, wherever they might be,' and said he was not concerned about China's new border regulations. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs noted over 300 lower-ranking Taiwan officials have attended APEC events in China without incident since December 2025. On September 4, the Mainland Affairs Council formally approved the trip after risk assessments, saying Hung can enter China on APEC's invitation without a Mainland Travel Permit and that 'the overall risks this time would be manageable'; MAC added it hopes China will 'treat our delegation appropriately in accordance with existing practices and APEC rules.'