Vice Foreign Minister Vanessa Shih says Taiwan has taken part in this year’s Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) leaders’ meeting in Beijing with dignity.
Shih made the comments at the legislature on Wednesday. She was responding to an opposition lawmaker who said Taiwan has been belittled at this year’s APEC meeting.
Taiwan’s president is barred from attending the APEC summit because of opposition from China. This year, former Vice President Vincent Siew acted once again as President Ma Ying-jeou’s envoy.
The opposition lawmaker said when the former vice president arrived in Beijing, he was greeted by a Chinese official of a much lower rank. He also said the Taiwanese delegation was not invited to attend a breakfast meeting of APEC foreign ministers.
In response, the vice foreign minister said that Taiwan has not been denigrated at this year’s APEC summit. She pointed out that the breakfast meeting is not an official APEC meeting. But she also said that Taiwan has lodged a protest about its delegation not being invited.
Shih said the Taiwanese delegation held an international news conference in Beijing. The former vice president held many bilateral talks with participating APEC representatives.
The former vice president arrived in Taiwan on Wednesday evening. Speaking at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport, he said he will talk about the results of his work at the APEC summit during a press conference on Friday.