'Shenzhen Wisdom': A catalyst for Asia-Pacific prosperity

The 33rd APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting will take place in Shenzhen this November. Liu Baokui, director of the Regional Development Strategy Research Center of the National Development and Reform Commission, recently shared his insights on the summit’s significance for both the city and the broader Asia-Pacific region.

An APEC billboard along Shennan Boulevard features the slogan “Gather in Shenzhen, Witness the Wonders.”Hu Lei

“Choosing Shenzhen as the host city reflects the central authorities’ profound recognition of its development,” Liu said. “It also signals China’s unwavering commitment to high-level opening up.” As China’s first special economic zone, a pilot demonstration area for socialism with Chinese characteristics, and the third Chinese city to host the APEC summit, Shenzhen is expected to show the world an open, confident, and innovation-driven China.

Liu Baokui

Liu noted that Shenzhen is well prepared for the diplomatic spotlight. In recent years, the city has hosted numerous major international conferences and sporting events and received dozens of heads of state each year. It has built a robust infrastructure for international diplomacy, ranging from world-class venues, logistics, and transportation to professional volunteer services. Combined with its pleasant coastal scenery, Shenzhen is poised to leave a lasting “Chinese imprint” on the APEC legacy.

The summit offers a rare opportunity for world leaders to witness what Liu describes as a “miracle in the history of world development.” Over the past four decades, Shenzhen has evolved from a fledgling economic experiment into a global powerhouse.

A drone delivers food to a Hong Kong customer at Futian Checkpoint in Futian District, in this file photo dated Oct. 26, 2025. Xinhua

“The meeting will allow leaders to see firsthand China’s world-class business environment, vibrant economic dynamism, and the prosperous lives of its residents,” Liu said. He emphasized that the summit’s impact will extend far beyond the event itself, projecting a multidimensional and authentic image of a modernizing China to the international community.

Liu noted that hosting APEC will significantly elevate Shenzhen’s global profile, providing a powerful catalyst for its evolution into a top-tier international metropolis. Drawing on the success of previous host cities, he explained that such summits enhance a city’s global visibility, credibility, and ability to attract high-end global resources.

“By using this event to stress-test and refine its international services — from healthcare and housing to multilingual signage — Shenzhen will become an even more magnetic hub for global talent and tourism,” Liu said.

He stressed that the event will deepen integration within the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and strengthen the “twin-star” synergy between Shenzhen and Hong Kong, helping the duo ascend to an even more dominant position as a global hub.

As a pacesetter for reform and a testing ground for national strategies, Shenzhen must seize the APEC summit as a prime opportunity to elevate its urban capacity and global reach, expanding high-level opening up, drive national development, and inject fresh vitality into the Asia-Pacific region.

People attend the second installment of the “Hello APEC” Shekou cultural market series in Shekou, Nanshan District, on Sunday. Courtesy of Shekou MSCE

To maximize the summit’s “long-tail effect,” Liu suggested that Shenzhen leverage the event’s spillover effects to attract international organizations and host world-renowned forums. These efforts will empower the city’s technological innovation, cultivate new productive forces, and transform Shenzhen into a premier hub for AI, the low-altitude economy, and advanced manufacturing.

Shenzhen is tasked with benchmarking itself against the world’s elite cities. Liu believes that by improving foreign-related services and establishing internationalization demonstration zones, Shenzhen will become more appealing to global talent and innovators. He further suggested that Shenzhen bolster its support for technological innovation and the real economy throughout the Asia-Pacific, contributing “Shenzhen Wisdom” to the region’s shared prosperity.

“The APEC meeting is a window to showcase the practice of Chinese modernization,” Liu concluded. “Through Shenzhen, the world will see a compelling answer to the future of Asia-Pacific cooperation and shared prosperity.”