Online critics ask why Liang Wen-chieh did not stop Hung Shen-han's China trip. He fires back

Taiwan Labor Minister Hung Shen-han is set to attend an APEC ministerial meeting in Nanjing, but the planned trip has triggered a sharp online dispute. The APEC Human Resources Development Ministerial Meeting will take place from Sept. 22 to 24, ahead of the leaders' summit in China in November.

The Democratic Progressive Party caucus in Taiwan's legislature supports Hung's participation so he can share Taiwan's labor experience at an international conference. A political page associated with the pan-blue camp questioned why Mainland Affairs Council Deputy Minister Liang Wen-chieh had not intervened to stop the visit.

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I happened to see this kind of sick post, and it is seriously ill.

Liang responded on Threads: “I happened to see this kind of sick post, and it is seriously ill.” He later added: “Taiwan is an APEC member. Going to attend an APEC meeting is entirely legitimate. What exactly do you want me to come out and stop?” He also criticized reporters for asking him to respond to the post.

Hung has received an invitation and is expected to attend the meeting in person. China is hosting this year's APEC summit. At a trade ministers' meeting held in Suzhou on May 22 and 23, Taiwan was represented by then-chief trade negotiator Jenni Yang and officials from the Office of Trade Negotiations and the Foreign Ministry. Organizers prepared her nameplate as “Chinese Taipei,” the membership name Taiwan uses in APEC.

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Taiwan is an APEC member. Going to attend an APEC meeting is entirely legitimate. What exactly do you want me to come out and stop?