Taiwan Sends Acer Founder to APEC in China – and Demands a Written Guarantee From Beijing

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A Businessman Instead of a Politician

On November 11, the office of Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te announced that Stan Shih will represent the island at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit. The meeting takes place on November 18–19 in Shenzhen.

Shih, 81, is a well-known figure in Taiwan's tech world. He co-founded Acer in 1976 and still serves as its honorary chairman. He is no stranger to APEC either: he was Taiwan's special envoy at the 2007 summit in Australia.

Taiwan usually sends retired officials or business leaders to these summits rather than its president. The aim is to avoid political friction. Taiwan takes part under the name "Chinese Taipei", and no APEC member has formal diplomatic relations with it.

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The Core Demand: Equality in Writing

Presidential spokesperson Karen Kuo said Taiwan has joined every APEC meeting on an equal footing. She called this standard APEC practice that has nothing to do with Beijing's "one-China principle" (the claim that Taiwan is part of the People's Republic).

Kuo said Taiwan expects China, as host, to give a written guarantee. It should ensure that the delegation can attend all meetings with equality, dignity and safety.

Beijing answered through its Taiwan Affairs Office. A spokesperson said that Taiwan's participation is handled under the one-China principle and the APEC rules. As long as these are followed, he said, "Chinese Taipei" may attend. China's Foreign Ministry had not yet commented.

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Why Taipei Does Not Trust the Promises

The call for new guarantees has a history. Taiwan's Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung said that China had already given written assurances in 2024, when it competed for the hosting rights. These covered Taiwan's equal participation and the safety of all delegations. Other APEC members witnessed them.

In November 2025, however, Beijing referred to the one-China principle in connection with Taiwan's attendance. Lin called this an "extra condition" that contradicts the earlier promise.

This month Lin added another complaint. China did not send an official to hand over the summit invitation in person. It sent an email instead.

There is also a precedent. Taiwan boycotted the 2001 APEC summit in China after a dispute over who it could send.

The practical side is not trivial either. Taiwan's labor and finance ministers have already attended APEC meetings in China this year without incident. The leaders' summit, however, is a far bigger and more political event.

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The Wider Backdrop

Relations between Taipei and Beijing are extremely tense. Beijing refuses to talk to President Lai, whom it calls a "separatist", and its military operates around the island almost daily. Taiwan's democratically elected government rejects China's sovereignty claims. It says only the island's people can decide their future.

The summit is also a stage for great-power diplomacy. Trump said on November 9 that he will travel to Shenzhen. He expects to meet Xi there, and he has also said he expects Putin to attend. The two leaders have met earlier this year, and Trump has said they will meet again in December at the G20 summit in Miami.

After the latest Trump–Xi talks in September, the top US diplomat in Beijing said Washington's Taiwan policy had not changed. China's own readout said Xi urged Trump to oppose "Taiwan independence".

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Outlook

The key question is whether Beijing will provide the written guarantee Taipei is asking for. Shih's role is mainly to represent Taiwan and to speak informally with delegations from friendly countries such as the US and Japan.

If Beijing does not respond, Taiwan will have to decide whether to attend anyway. For the host, the summit is a showcase. For Taiwan, it is one of the few international forums where it still has a seat at the table.

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Sources

1. Reuters, "Taiwan appoints Acer founder as APEC envoy, calls for written guarantees from China," Nov 11, 2026 – https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/taiwan-appoints-acer-founder-its-apec-summit-envoy-2026-11-11/
2. Taipei Times, "Taiwan to counter 'extra condition' on APEC participation," Nov 5, 2025 – https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2025/11/05/2003846696
3. Taiwan News, report on the emailed invitation and China's 2024 written statement – https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/6472093
4. Taipei Times, "US' Taiwan policy unchanged: envoy," Sep 27, 2026 – https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/front/archives/2026/09/27/2003864953
5. Focus Taiwan/CNA via GlobalSecurity, "U.S. Taiwan policy unchanged after Trump-Xi talks," Sep 2026 – https://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/library/news/taiwan/2026/taiwan-260926-cna05.htm
6. Reuters via Jefferson City News-Tribune, "Trump thinks he will meet Xi and Putin at China APEC summit," Nov 9, 2026 – https://www.newstribune.com/news/2026/nov/09/trump-thinks-he-will-meet-xi-and-putin-at-china-apec-summit/
7. StratNews Global, on China's alleged backtracking and the 2001 boycott – https://stratnewsglobal.com/taiwan/china-backtracking-on-taiwan-participation-at-apec-summit/

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