Taiwan minister makes rare trip to China for APEC event

Taiwan's labour minister left on Sunday for China to attend an APEC event, the first ministerial-level visit of President Lai Ching-te's administration at a time when Beijing has ramped up military and political pressure against Taipei.



The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation group is one of the few international bodies that Chinese-claimed Taiwan belongs to, and China is the host nation this year, with a leaders summit scheduled for November in Shenzhen.



China has rejected repeated offers of talks by Lai, saying he is a "separatist", and its military operates around Taiwan on an almost daily basis. Lai says only Taiwan's people can decide their future.



The labour ministry confirmed that minister Hung Sun-han had left for China, where he will attend an APEC human resources ministerial meeting in the eastern city of Nanjing.