Taiwan will send its top trade negotiator to next week’s Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) ministerial meeting in mainland China – a rare occurrence since the two sides cut off official communication in 2016.

Analysts said the move suggested both sides were still trying to preserve a workable status quo within the regional forum despite worsening cross-strait tensions.

The Apec trade ministers’ meeting will be held in Suzhou, a city in Jiangsu province, between May 22 and 23. Yang Jen-ni, a minister without portfolio and chief negotiator at Taiwan’s Office of Trade Negotiations, will lead the delegation.

The meeting is being closely watched in Taipei because mainland China is hosting all major Apec events this year – culminating in the summit in Shenzhen in November – at a time when relations with Beijing remain deeply strained under Taiwanese leader William Lai Ching-te.

Beijing reignited concerns this week after the State Council’s Taiwan Affairs Office said on Wednesday that the mainland would handle Taiwan’s participation “in accordance with the one-China principle and relevant Apec memorandums of understanding and practices”.

Taipei swiftly rejected the remarks.