WASHINGTON, USA – On October 3, 2023, US Rep. Lance Gooden (R-TX), with 14 of his colleagues, introduced a resolution (H.Con.Res.71) urging the Biden administration to formally and respectfully invite Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen to attend the November 2023 APEC leaders’ summit in San Francisco, California, on an equal footing with leaders of other APEC member states.
Taiwan is a full member in good standing of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) and an increasingly important economy in the Asia-Pacific region and globally. It deserves equal respect and treatment given to all other APEC members, including receiving the invitation for Taiwan’s president to attend the annual “APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting.”
Generally, the heads of government of the APEC member countries attend the leaders’ summit. However, due to China’s objections, Taiwan has in recent years been represented by Morris Chang, the founder of TSMC, instead.
As the host country, the United States has the prerogative to invite participants to this year’s APEC leaders’ summit, which will be held in San Francisco, California, from November 15-17, 2023. China may protest, but the U.S. should not allow Beijing to dictate its foreign relations.
Washington can demonstrate its support for democratic values and its commitment to partners worldwide by ensuring Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen’s attendance at the leaders’ summit and rejecting China’s continued bullying that seeks to exclude Taiwan’s full participation in the APEC.
Moreover, inviting Taiwan’s president to the APEC summit in San Francisco is consistent with longstanding US policy outlined in various existing US laws. It would, for instance, implement the “Taiwan Travel Act” of 2018, which encourages high-level officials from Taiwan to visit the US and vice versa.
