Taiwanese finance minister plans to join Apec meeting in Hong Kong

Taiwanese Finance Minister Chuang Tsui-yun plans to attend the Apec meeting in Hong Kong, where the Chinese finance chief is due to deliver the opening speech.

Chuang’s ministry told Reuters on Tuesday she would attend the meeting “as is customary”.

Hong Kong is hosting the Apec Finance Ministers’ Meeting on October 20 and 21, while the Economic Leaders’ Summit will take place in Shenzhen next month. China is the summit host for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum this year.

In response to queries from the South China Morning Post, the Financial and Treasury Services Bureau, which is organising the event next week, said China’s Ministry of Finance was handling the registration and accreditation.

The bureau did not directly confirm Chuang’s participation, saying the Hong Kong government would continue to maintain close cooperation with the Chinese Ministry of Finance as the registration process for delegates was being completed.

Under Apec guidelines, the ministry would provide all delegations from member economies with “necessary arrangements” and support in respect of accommodation, transport, reception and hospitality arrangements, it said.

“The [Hong Kong] government welcomes delegates from all Apec member economies to Hong Kong and will render full support to the ... [work of the Ministry of Finance] with a view to ensuring a high-quality experience for participating delegations,” a bureau spokesman said.

Taiwan participates in Apec under the name “Chinese Taipei”, and Apec is one of the few international bodies that includes the self-ruled island.

Chuang, who has been the finance minister since 2023, will be the second high-level Taiwanese official in William Lai Ching-te’s administration to take part in this year’s Apec summit.

Taiwanese labour minister Hung Sun-han visited Nanjing last month to attend the Apec ministerial meeting to discuss employment, vocational training, social security and the impact of artificial intelligence on jobs.

He said at the time his delegation was not subjected to any “downgrading” and was granted the same rights as other members.

Beijing has accused Lai of “stubbornly clinging” to a “separatist mindset” and playing up the alleged “mainland threat”, rejecting his repeated offers of talks.

Beijing views Taiwan as part of China to be reunited by force if necessary.

Most countries, including the United States, do not recognise Taiwan as an independent state, but Washington is opposed to any attempt to take the island by force and is committed to supplying it with weapons.

The SCMP earlier reported that China’s finance minister, Lan Foan, will deliver a keynote speech at the meeting, which will be held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre in Wan Chai.

So far, expected attendees include Australian Treasurer Jim Chalmers, South Korean Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance and Economy Lee Hyoung-il and Singaporean Minister for Transport and Second Minister for Finance Jeffrey Siow Chen Siang.

Lau Siu-kai, a consultant for the semi-official Chinese Association of Hong Kong and Macau Studies think tank, said that Taiwanese officials taking part in an Apec meeting, even if it was held in Hong Kong or on mainland China, was not a “novel phenomenon” and “not surprising.”

“I therefore will not attach much importance to Taiwanese officials’ attendance at Apec ministerial meetings,” he said.

Lau said cross-strait relations were still at a “low ebb”, pointing to Lai’s continuing political provocations.

He said the participation of Taiwanese officials showed that Beijing and Hong Kong followed the rules of international organisations to which they belonged.

“In short, don’t read too much into the arrival of Taiwanese officials at an Apec ministerial meeting held in Hong Kong,” he said.

Hong Kong finance chief Paul Chan Mo-po said the meeting would focus on fiscal policies that supported livelihoods, financing for digital infrastructure, inclusive finance and young financial talent.

Last week, the SCMP reported that United States Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent might skip the Hong Kong meeting to focus on preparing for US President Donald Trump’s historic visit to Shenzhen in November.