Li Lecheng attends the High-Level Dialogue: Leveraging Digital and AI Technologies to Empower the APEC Community

The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) of China hosted the High-Level Dialogue: Leveraging Digital and AI Technologies to Empower the APEC Community in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, on July 24, 2026. The High-Level Dialogue was one of the key events of the 2026 APEC Digital Weeks. Li Lecheng, Minister of Industry and Information Technology of China, and Shi Xiaolin, Governor of Sichuan Province, attended and addressed the opening ceremony. Also addressing the opening ceremony were Chaichanok Chidchob, Minister of Digital Economy and Society of Thailand; Vu Hai Quan, Minister of Science and Technology of Viet Nam; SUN Dong, Secretary of the Innovation, Technology and Industry Bureau of Hong Kong, China; Bella Cherkesova, Deputy Minister of Digital Development, Communications and Mass Media of Russia; TAN Kiat How, Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Digital Development and Information and Ministry of Health of Singapore; and Chen Shuping, Mayor of Chengdu. Xiong Jijun, Vice Minister of Industry and Information Technology of China presided over the opening ceremony.

Li Lecheng pointed out that the Chinese government places high importance on the development of digital and AI technologies and has actively fostered new forms of smart economy, with positive results achieved. The Outline of China's 15th Five-Year Plan calls for further advancing the Digital China initiative and elevating the level of digital and AI-driven development. China will continue to deepen reforms comprehensively and expand high-standard opening up, aiming to provide new opportunities for the development of the Asia-Pacific region and the world through new achievements in Chinese modernization. China attaches great significance to international cooperation in the digital and AI fields and stands ready to work with all parties to continuously leverage digital and AI technologies to empower the Asia-Pacific community and inject new impetus into Asia-Pacific cooperation.

Li Lecheng expressed the hope that APEC economies would strengthen exchanges and cooperation in areas such as policy, technology, talent, and standards, and continuously enhance digital and AI empowerment to shape new advantages for innovative development in the Asia-Pacific region. First, the APEC economies should seize the strategic opportunities presented by technological transformation and accelerate the efforts to leverage digital and AI technologies to empower various sectors through technology promotion, joint R&D and other means. Second, the APEC economies should jointly promote the sharing of innovation outcomes for all, strengthen collaboration on inclusive digital service capacity building, and promote accessible, easy-to-deploy, and affordable AI tools and solutions to accelerate the bridging of the digital and AI divides. Third, the APEC economies should jointly foster an open, connected and unified market, safeguard the stability and resilience of global digital and AI industrial and supply chains, deepen open cooperation in open-source technology, and create an open, competitive innovation ecosystem. Fourth, the APEC economies should jointly ensure the secure and responsible governance of digital and AI technologies for good and strengthen coordination and cooperation to develop governance frameworks, standards and norms with broad consensus.

The participating economies engaged in extensive exchanges and discussions on two topics: "Promoting Digital Transformation to Empower Various Sectors" and "Advancing Digital and AI Technologies for People's Well-Being." They agreed that digital technologies, represented by AI, are profoundly reshaping the paradigms of economic and social development. Facing the surging waves of this new round of technological revolution and industrial transformation, APEC member economies should strengthen policy coordination and strategy alignment, deepen practical cooperation, capture and shape the historic opportunities presented by the digital and AI era. "The Case Collection of Digital and AI Empowerment in Asia-Pacific Region" was released during the High-Level Dialogue, showcasing the explorations and innovation achievements of APEC member economies in digital transformation, AI applications, and industrial empowerment. The case collection offers diversified practices that can serve as references and be promoted across Asia-Pacific economies, thus contributing to the deepening of practical cooperation in the region.

Approximately 400 representatives from government departments, academic institutions, leading enterprises, and industry associations, as well as representatives from international organizations participated in this dialogue.

The MIIT also held bilateral meetings with relevant economic delegations during the dialogue to exchange views on bilateral and multilateral matters of mutual interest.