APEC 'China Year' gets under way, with leaders to meet in Shenzhen in November

Overview

China, which holds the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) chair in 2026, set out its key tasks for the year on 10 February 2026 at the opening session of the first Senior Officials' Meeting (SOM1) in Guangzhou, Guangdong Province. On the same day, China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced the launch of the official website for the APEC "China Year", www.apec2026.cn. The 33rd APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting will be held in Shenzhen on 18-19 November, together with the APEC CEO Summit and ministerial meetings. Around 300 APEC-related meetings and events are planned in cities across China over the year.

Background

This is the third time China has hosted APEC, after Shanghai in 2001 and Beijing in 2014, and the first time in 12 years. Shenzhen will be only the third Chinese city to host the leaders' meeting since APEC was founded in 1989. SOM1 ran in Guangzhou from 1 to 10 February; SOM2 is planned for Shanghai in May and SOM3 for Dalian, Liaoning Province, in August. About ten ministerial meetings will be held in various cities between May and October. 2026 is also the first year of China's 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030).

On the sidelines of the meeting, Vice-Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu told the media that unilateralism and protectionism were challenging the international economic and trade order, and called for building an open economy, advancing trade and investment liberalisation and pursuing innovation-driven development. He added that member economies should make use of their comparative advantages, coordinate policies and share experience to achieve win-win outcomes. At the opening session, Foreign Minister Wang Yi urged members to follow the "APEC way" of consultation and consensus and to uphold the multilateral trading system centred on the World Trade Organization. Carlos Kuriyama of the APEC Secretariat's Policy Support Unit said APEC could help build consensus on global issues.

Key Points

• Theme: "Building an Asia-Pacific Community to Prosper Together", with three priorities: openness, innovation and cooperation.
• Main tasks: Foreign Minister Wang Yi called for a clear and substantive outcome document for the November leaders' meeting, broader pathways towards a Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific (FTAAP), a blueprint for upgraded connectivity, and faster innovation-driven digital, smart and green transformation.
• Ministerial topics: Trade, the digital economy, transport, tourism, human resources, small and medium-sized enterprises, energy, food security, finance and women.
• Key dates: SOM1 (February, Guangzhou), SOM2 (May, Shanghai), SOM3 (August, Dalian), Leaders' Meeting (18-19 November, Shenzhen).
• Official website: Will provide authoritative content, the latest reports and service information.

Implications for Japan-Shenzhen Exchange

Japan is a founding member of APEC, and agenda items such as trade and investment liberalisation, the digital economy and support for small and medium-sized enterprises bear directly on the business environment for Japanese companies. Holding the leaders' meeting and the CEO Summit in Shenzhen is likely to give the city's business environment and advanced industries significant international exposure.

With meetings on tourism, human resources and SMEs also scheduled throughout the year, there is interest in the opportunities this may create for travel and dialogue in business, academia and tourism. For the Japanese business community, including Japanese companies with operations in Shenzhen, keeping track of the direction of APEC discussions and related events is likely to be worthwhile.

Outlook

Following SOM2 in Shanghai in May, SOM3 in Dalian in August and the various ministerial meetings, an outcome document is expected to be adopted at the leaders' meeting in Shenzhen in November. The specific content of that document and the detailed schedule and participants of the CEO Summit have not yet been announced.

From the Association

The Association will continue to follow APEC-related events in Shenzhen and keep its members informed. We will keep working to provide a platform for deepening economic and cultural exchange between Japan and Shenzhen.