China Disrupts Taiwan's Security Concerns Regarding The Implementation Of APEC Next Year

Chinese President Xi Jinping shook hands with South Korean President Lee Jae-myung at the APEC 2025 Summit. (Xinhua/Xie Huanchi)

JAKARTA - China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has dismissed security concerns raised by Taiwan regarding the implementation of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Group (APEC) summit next year, but states the island's participation depends on its compliance with applicable practices and the principles of "One China".

The summit, which will be held in Shenzhen, southern China, November 2026, occurred amid the deteriorating relationship between Beijing and Taipei.

China routinely mobilizes its military to the waters and skies around the island and refuses to talk to Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te, which China calls "separatist".

On Saturday, Taiwan's Foreign Ministry official Jonathan Sun said at the end of this year's summit in South Korea, China had provided written guarantees last year of the safety of all participants of the summit.

In a written statement to Reuters, China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated there were no concerns.

"As host of APEC in 2026, China will fulfill its obligations as host country in accordance with APEC rules and customary practices, and there will be no problem with the smooth participation of all parties," the statement said.

"We want to emphasize that the key to Taipei's Chinese participation in APEC activities lies in compliance with the principles of 'One China' and the relevant APEC memorandum of understanding, rather than on security issues," he continued.

It is known that APEC is one of the few international cooperation organizations in which Taiwan is a member, despite its participation as "Taipeiongkok" to avoid political problems and its president has never attended.

China views democratically-ruled Taiwan as part of "One China".

Instead, the Taiwanese government rejected Beijing's claim to sovereignty, saying only the island's people could determine their future.

China is outraged by a meeting of Taiwanese representatives, former economic minister Lin Hsin-i, with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on the sidelines of the summit last week, despite Lin dismissed Beijing's protests.

Japan, like all other APEC members, has no formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan.

Speaking in Taipei on Monday after returning from South Korea, Sun said Taiwan had asked China last year whether it would get "equivalent treatment" and expressed concerns about the safety of its people, adding "other partners who seek it" also had similar concerns.

"We hope that everyone can urge the Chinese side to fulfill their promise to ensure the safety of all participants and equal participation of the economy, not just Taiwan," he said.

Chinese President Xi Jinping last Saturday announced that the APEC 2026 Summit will be held in Shenzen in November, quoted from Xinhua.

The last time China hosted the APEC Summit was in 2014. At that time, relations with Taiwan were much better under President Ma Ying-jeou who signed an important trade and tourism agreement with Beijing.

However, in 2001 Taiwan boycotted the APEC Summit in China after a dispute broke out about who they could send.