PEF Chairman James Soong (CNA file photo)

Taipei, Oct. 12 (CNA) James Soong (宋楚瑜), chairman of the opposition People First Party (PFP), will again represent Taiwan at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum (APEC) summit this year, a Presidential Office official said Thursday.

The 2017 APEC Economic Leaders' Week is scheduled for Nov. 6-11 in Da Nang, Vietnam, culminating in an annual meeting of leaders of the group's 21 member economies.

President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) was scheduled to hold a press conference later Thursday to announce her decision to appoint Soong as her special envoy to the summit for the second year in a row, according to the official, who declined to be named.

Tsai was also represented by Soong at the 2016 APEC summit in Lima, Peru.

Since Taiwan was admitted to APEC under the name "Chinese Taipei" in 1991, the country's president has never been allowed to attend a leadership meeting in person due to opposition from China, which is also an APEC member, although there are no formal rules barring the president from attending.

(By Sophia Yeh and Y.F. Low)
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