APEC envoy invites Biden to Taiwan

MEET AND GREET:
The White House, which described the interaction as “just a handshake,” did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Biden’s planned visit.

Taiwan’s envoy to the APEC summit, Lin Hsin-i (林信義), on Friday invited US President Joe Biden to visit Taiwan.

During the informal APEC Leaders’ Dialogue, Lin, who represented President William Lai (賴清德) at the summit, spoke with Biden and expressed gratitude to the outgoing US president for his contribution to improving relations bilateral relations between Taipei and Washington over the past four years. said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Lin and Biden exchanged views during the conversation, with Lin inviting Biden to visit Taiwan, according to the statement.

Biden is due to resign in January next year, when US President-elect Donald Trump is due to return to the White House for a second term.

One photograph showed Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau observing the conversation between Lin and Biden.

The annual APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting is the most important event for the 21-member regional trade bloc, with heads of government from Pacific Rim countries attending to hold sideline discussions.

The organization is one of the few intergovernmental pacts of which Taiwan is a full member, but it has yet to send special envoys in place of presidents to the annual leaders’ meeting due to pressure from China.

Taiwan joined APEC in 1991 under the name “Chinese Taipei”.

A Biden administration official downplayed the interaction, describing it as “just a handshake” in the plenary room.

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment on whether Biden planned to visit.

Lin attended the informal APEC Leaders’ Dialogue on Friday morning before a lunch with representatives of the APEC Business Advisory Council, followed by a dinner with the leaders, the ministry said.

On Thursday, Lin spoke with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken ahead of the leaders’ meeting.

The two discussed ways to continue strengthening bilateral partnerships and ensuring regional peace and stability, while exchanging views on issues such as promoting the development of Taiwan’s diplomatic allies in the region, a indicated the ministry.

Blinken also posted a photo of the two shaking hands on social media and wrote that their talks focused on “our growing economic relationship and our enduring shared commitment to fostering an open, vibrant and peaceful Indo-Pacific.”

Lin had previously attended APEC meetings in Brunei in 2000, China in 2001, and South Korea in 2005, during the administration of then-President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁).

Lin – senior presidential advisor and chairman of Taiwania Capital Management Corp (台杉投資管理), a government-run investment vehicle – served as Minister of Economic Affairs from 2000 to 2002 and Deputy Prime Minister from 2002 to 2004 .

Additional reporting from Reuters