Apec meeting in Suzhou next week highlights Beijing’s attempts to balance Taiwan stance with responsibilities as forum host, analysts say
3-MIN READ3-MINLawrence Chungin TaipeiPublished: 6:00pm, 16 May 2026Taiwan will send its top trade negotiator to next week’s Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) ministerial meeting in mainland China – a rare occurrence since the two sides cut off official communication in 2016.Analysts said the move suggested both sides were still trying to preserve a workable status quo within the regional forum despite worsening cross-strait tensions.
Beijing reignited concerns this week after the State Council’s Taiwan Affairs Office said on Wednesday that the mainland would handle Taiwan’s participation “in accordance with the one-China principle and relevant Apec memorandums of understanding and practices”.
