"Given the country's difficult diplomatic situation, the government should operate in a pragmatic way in assigning its representatives at the meeting," KMT Legislator Chiang Pin-kung (江丙坤) said.
Chiang said protocol requirede that admission to the meeting be approved by the host country before an announcement was made.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Mark Chen (陳唐山) said the US had responded positively to the announcement, which would be helpful.
"President Chen informed US officials of the announcement when he made a transit stop in Miami en route to Central America in late September," the minister said. "The US official regarded Wang as a very suitable delegate."
He urged legislators and the public to support Wang.
"As long as the public can stand up for the government's decision on the basis of the national interest, there is every possibility that Wang will be present at the meeting," he said.
Academia Sinica President Lee Yuan-tseh (李遠哲) yesterday said that Wang was a better choice than he, and that he was more than happy to offer him advice. Lee attended the last three APEC summits as the president's envoy.
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