TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – Former Vice Premier Lin Hsin-i (林信義) will attempt to meet US President Donald Trump when he attends the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation leaders summit in South Korea next month, reports said Thursday.

As Chinese pressure bars President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) from attending, Lin also represented him at the 2024 summit in Peru. The South Korean city of Gyeongju has been chosen to host this year’s Oct. 31-Nov. 1 event.

Taiwan is in the process of arranging for Lin to meet with Trump and with other leaders, Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) told lawmakers Thursday. As China is the host for next year’s APEC summit, lawmakers expressed interest in the government’s preparations, per CNA.

The foreign minister said Taiwan would use the occasion of the Gyeongju summit to discuss the issue with the US, South Korea, and other members. China should keep its promises and allow Taiwan to take part without facing discrimination, the minister said. The other APEC members only accepted China as the host for the 2026 summit after it agreed to respect the organization’s rules and practices.

Lin Hsin-I, who also served as economics minister after a business career, attended APEC ministerial conferences in 2000 and 2001, and represented Taiwan at the Busan summit in 2005.