China to Focus APEC 2026 on Building Asia-Pacific Community

BEIJING – China has announced its commitment to translating the vision of an Asia-Pacific community into concrete action, with a focus on openness, innovation, and cooperation at the 2026 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders’ Meeting in Shenzhen.

APEC 2026: A Third Hosting for China

This year marks the third time China will host the APEC meeting, following previous events in Shanghai in 2001 and Beijing in 2014. The 33rd APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting is scheduled to capture place in Shenzhen in November .

Priorities for Shenzhen APEC

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi stated that the Shenzhen APEC meeting will prioritize three key areas: openness, innovation, and cooperation . These priorities are intended to chart a course for renewed Asia-Pacific cooperation.

Building an Asia-Pacific Community

Wang Yi emphasized the demand to move beyond simply discussing the concept of an Asia-Pacific community and to translate it into tangible results. He called for broad consensus, clear priorities, and actionable steps to be developed at the Shenzhen meeting . The overarching theme for APEC 2026 is “Building an Asia Pacific Community to Prosper Together” .

Key Areas of Focus

China plans to focus on several key areas to achieve these goals, including:

• Aligning pathways toward the Free Trade Area of the Asia Pacific.
• Making arrangements for regional connectivity.
• Promoting transformation toward digital, smart, and green development .

A “Restart” for Regional Cooperation

Wang Yi expressed China’s readiness to “promote a restart from APEC Shenzhen toward the goal of the Asia-Pacific community” , signaling a renewed commitment to regional collaboration.