Taiwan finance minister to attend APEC meeting in Hong Kong

Taiwan ​Finance Minister Chuang Tsui-yun will attend ​a meeting of APEC ‌finance ministers in ​Hong Kong next week, her ministry said on Tuesday, at a time when Beijing has stepped ‌up military and political pressure on Taipei.

The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation grouping is one of the few international bodies that includes Taiwan, which China claims as its own territory, and ‌China is this year's host, with a leaders summit scheduled for November ‌in the southern city of Shenzhen. China has rejected repeated offers of talks by Taiwan President Lai Ching-te, saying he is a "separatist", and its military operates around Taiwan on an almost daily ⁠basis. Lai says ​only Taiwan's people ⁠can decide their future.

Chuang will, "as is customary", attend the October 20 to 21 APEC meeting ⁠held in Hong Kong, her ministry said in comments sent to Reuters. The Hong Kong ​organisers did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Taiwan's Labour Minister ⁠Hung Sun-han travelled to China's Nanjing last month, also for an APEC event. The island takes part ⁠in ​APEC under the name "Chinese Taipei", which it also uses for the Olympics.

Lower-level Taiwanese officials have attended other APEC events in China, whose government views ⁠Taiwan as a Chinese province. Taiwan has yet to announce who will attend the APEC leaders' ⁠summit, though ⁠its presidents never go.

Taiwan normally sends former officials or business executives as its APEC envoy.