APEC participation is next China-Taiwan battle / ICAO未受邀 各界關注11月秘魯APEC會議　　　　　　　　　　

The International Civil Aviation Organization claimed that it has not invited Taiwan to the ICAO assembly this year based on the One-China policy. People now worry that the same thing may happen again in the next APEC forum, which will soon be held in Peru in November. Chairman of the People First Party, James Soong, was speculated to be a likely candidate to serve as the Leader's Representative to the APEC. He said on Sep. 24 that Taiwan joined the APEC as an economy and will thus not be affected. He also expressed his willingness to represent Taiwan if he is given the opportunity. Taiwan has just been denied attendance in this year's ICAO assembly due to China's intervention. Now people are wondering if the same will happen in November's APEC forum. Chairman of the People First Party, James Soong, was considered a likely candidate for the special envoy to the APEC, but he said that the APEC is different from the ICAO. ==JAMES SOONG, People First Party Chairman== Taiwan has been excluded from international organizations, especially UN bodies, since 1971. However, we entered the APEC as an economy, so it is of a different nature compared to other organizations. The next battleground in the cross-strait wrestling match is the APEC. James Soong has been considered an appropriate candidate for the special envoy to the APEC. Nevertheless, China's Taiwan Affairs Office has explicitly said that Soong does not meet the qualifications specified in the APEC memorandum. Soong stressed that he is willing to represent Taiwan. ==JAMES SOONG, People First Party Chairman== Both sides across the Taiwan Strait need to recognize the value that Taiwan seeks to uphold, which is a free and democratic system. Taiwan will never give up, and I am willing to do my best to promote this understanding in a different way. Soong said the Tsai administration has to approach cross-strait relations and international affairs with a practical mindset. Both Taiwan and China need to show more sincerity and understanding towards each other to facilitate better cross-strait relations. TRANSLATED BY：CHRISTINA LIU 國際民航組織聲稱遵守聯合國「一中原則」，今年不發邀請函給台灣，外界擔心兩岸下一個戰場，就是11月在秘魯舉行的APEC會議，日前才被點名擔任APEC特使的親民黨主席宋楚瑜今天表示，台灣是以經濟體身分參加APEC，應該不致於受影響，對於是否真能出任APEC特使，宋楚瑜說若有機會願意替台灣人民發聲。 台灣才因中方打壓，無法出席今年國際民航組織ICAO大會，11月將登場的亞太經合會APEC，是否將會受到衝擊？曾經被外界點名出任APEC特使的親民黨主席宋楚瑜，今天到台中開講，宋楚瑜說，兩件事不能相提並論。 ==親民黨主席 宋楚瑜== 國際的組織 特別是聯合國的組織 從1971年以後 我們沒有辦法參加 但APEC是我們中華民國 是以關稅組織 所謂的經濟體去參加 性質上不全然一致 兩岸角力的下一個戰場，恐怕就是APEC，但宋楚瑜這個傳聞中，又呼聲很高的特使人選，已經被國台辦明示，不符合APEC備忘錄裡的出席資格條件，幾乎確定在特使名單上除名，不過宋楚瑜今天仍強調，若有機會，還是願意替台灣發聲。 ==親民黨主席 宋楚瑜== 如果有機會能夠 讓對岸能夠瞭解到 今天台灣所堅持追求的 是一個價值 這個價值就是 我們對自由民主的制度 絕不放棄和堅持的那種心願 我願意透過不同的方式 讓對岸能夠瞭解 宋楚瑜認為，目前蔡英文政府對於兩岸關係，甚至是國際事務，什麼做得到？什麼能追求？都必須以務實的態度來處理，兩岸的對話應該更有誠意，相互諒解，兩岸關係才有機會再往前一步。 邱植培 彭煥群 台中報導