Diplomatic Dialogues: Taiwan's APEC Engagement Amidst Global Tensions

Taiwan's participation in the APEC summit featured significant diplomatic interactions, including a meeting with Japan's Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, sparking protests from China. Despite the absence of formal ties, Taiwan engaged in discussions with various international leaders, pursuing cooperative advancements, particularly with the U.S. in semiconductor development.

Taiwan's involvement in the recent APEC summit stirred diplomatic waves, notably with a meeting between Taiwan's representative and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi. The dialogue, however routine, was met with disapproval from China, which lodged a formal protest against Japan for the encounter.

Lin Hsin-i, Taiwan's representative and former economy minister, defended the meeting, emphasizing the commonplace nature of such interactions during APEC, a rare international platform for Taiwan. Despite lack of formal diplomatic ties, Japan remains a steadfast ally to Taiwan in the region.

Additionally, Taiwan maximized its presence at APEC for strategic discourse with U.S. officials. Science Minister Wu Cheng-wen highlighted discussions on enhancing U.S. semiconductor capabilities, leveraging Taiwan's advanced model. This cooperation envisions expansion under U.S. support, aligning with TSMC's substantial investment in American semiconductor infrastructure.

(With inputs from agencies.)