APEC 2026 opens with Shenzhen as a key host

Shenzhen, an open and inclusive city. [Photo/IC]

In mid-December, Shenzhen in Guangdong province hosted the 2026 APEC Informal Senior Officials' Meeting. This marked the first event after China took on the role of host for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation in 2026, officially inaugurating the APEC "China Year".

Next year, in November, Shenzhen will also host the APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting, alongside key supporting events such as the APEC CEO Summit and the APEC Ministerial Meeting on Foreign Affairs and Trade.

Choosing Shenzhen as the host city for the 2026 APEC meetings carries significant importance. As a pioneer of China's reform and opening-up and a global hub for technological innovation, Shenzhen has developed practical, replicable experiences in fields such as the digital economy, artificial intelligence, green and low-carbon development, and connectivity.

Alex Perelli, executive vice-president of the United States' National Center for APEC, stated that Shenzhen was selected as the venue precisely because the city exemplifies the transformative power of economic openness, innovation, and international cooperation, offering a highly convincing development model for the Asia-Pacific region.

Nicolas Miailhe, co-founder of The Future Society, an international non-profit organization dedicated to improving AI governance, praised Shenzhen for its development strategy of centering digital technology and benefiting citizens through shared prosperity. He described it as "a model for the region and even the world".

Zheng Yongnian, dean of the School of Public Policy at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, and president of the Qianhai Institute for International Affairs, emphasized that at a time when deglobalization trends are emerging, Shenzhen's story itself is the most powerful rebuttal.

"It's a story of openness benefiting all, a story of common prosperity, and a testament to China's opening-up. In particular, with the global expansion of enterprises in Shenzhen and the entire Pearl River Delta, the city has become an important driver for regionalization and globalization," he said.

Kishore Mahbubani, an internationally renowned scholar and former Singaporean ambassador to the United Nations, suggested that APEC leaders visiting Shenzhen will naturally want their citizens to witness the city's achievements. The senior diplomat argued that during the 2026 APEC meetings, Shenzhen itself will be a focal point, offering diverse inspirations to the world.

As a city of innovation, Shenzhen's advantages are first reflected in its strong scientific and technological innovation and industrial strength.

It is not only home to headquarters of world-class enterprises like Huawei, Tencent, and BYD, but has also formed powerful clusters in emerging sectors that represent the future, including AI, new energy, biomedicine, and low-altitude economy. This makes Shenzhen an ideal platform for APEC discussions on innovation.

Moreover, as a central city and core engine of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, Shenzhen is exploring institutional opening through initiatives such as the Qianhai Shenzhen-Hong Kong Modern Service Industry Cooperation Zone and the Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Cooperation Zone.

These efforts aim to achieve "soft connectivity" in areas likes cross-border finance, data flows, and mutual recognition of professional qualifications, providing valuable Chinese experience and Shenzhen solutions for APEC to enhance regional cooperation.

This year marks the 45th anniversary of the Shenzhen Special Economic Zone. Over the decades, Shenzhen has rapidly developed, with its regional GDP soaring from 270 million yuan ($38.5 million) in 1980 to 3.68 trillion yuan in 2024, ranking third among Chinese mainland cities in economic output.

Currently, Shenzhen is striving to become an urban model for China's vision of a modern socialist country by 2035.

Li Xiaolin, a senior official from the regional development strategy research center of the National Development and Reform Commission, stated that Shenzhen should seize the opportunity of hosting APEC, taking bold actions and better serving the national strategy of overall opening-up and the construction of Chinese-style modernization.

She emphasized that regardless of external environment changes, China's commitment to reform and opening-up remains unwavering. China will always adhere to open innovation, commit to win-win cooperation, and continuously contribute wisdom and strength to the prosperity of the Asia-Pacific region and the world.