Taiwan to send Acer founder Stan Shih to APEC summit — South China Morning Post

Taiwan will send Stan Shih, the founder of computer company Acer, to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) leaders’ summit in Shenzhen, China, next week. Karen Kuo, a representative of Taiwan’s leader Lai Ching-te, said Shih was appointed as the representative because of his international vision and industry expertise, South China Morning Post reports.

Taiwan’s representative at the summit

Shih previously represented Taiwan at the APEC summit in Sydney in 2007. He was then appointed by Taiwan’s then-leader Chen Shui-bian, who, like Lai Ching-te, represented the Democratic Progressive Party.

Taiwan has been an APEC member economy under the name “Chinese Taipei” since 1991. Taiwan’s leaders traditionally do not attend the summits because of political sensitivity and Beijing’s objections; the delegation is usually represented by a businessperson or an economic affairs official.

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Positions of Taipei and Beijing

Zhang Han, spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office of China’s State Council, said Beijing views Taiwan’s participation in APEC in accordance with the “one China” principle, APEC memoranda of understanding, rules and established practice. According to her, Taiwan may participate provided these arrangements are observed.

In Taipei’s statement, Karen Kuo said Taiwan’s participation in APEC is not linked to the “one China” principle and called on Beijing to ensure dignified and safe treatment of the Taiwanese delegation on an equal footing. Earlier this year, Taiwan’s chief trade negotiator Yang Jen-ni and Labour Minister Hung Sun-han took part in APEC ministerial meetings in cities in mainland China. Finance Minister Chuang Tsui-yun attended the APEC finance ministers’ meeting in Hong Kong last month.