Preparations for APEC CEO Summit in Shenzhen enter final stage

An APEC China 2026 floral display stands in front of SEG Plaza in Shenzhen’s Huaqiangbei commercial district ahead of the APEC meetings. Shenzhen Special Zone Daily

Preparations for the APEC CEO Summit 2026 have entered the final stage, with work progressing on schedule ahead of the Nov. 17-18 event in Shenzhen.

The summit, hosted by the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT) under the theme "To Prosper and Win the Future Together," will bring together political and business representatives from APEC economies.

Several leaders of APEC economies will deliver speeches or take part in panel discussions, and engage directly with business leaders from across the region, according to Wang Wenshuai, spokesperson for the CCPIT.

Business representatives from all 21 APEC economies have registered to attend the summit, while major companies from non-APEC economies, including Britain, France, Germany and Switzerland, have also signed up, Wang said.

The agenda will cover a range of topics, such as the building of the Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific, connectivity, artificial intelligence, the digital economy, development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, sustainable development, and digital and green transformation.

Meanwhile, the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC), a mechanism through which the regional business community participates in APEC cooperation and submits policy recommendations to the leaders of APEC economies, will hold its fourth meeting of the year in Shenzhen from Nov. 14 to 16.

Under its annual theme of "Openness, Connectivity and Synergy," the meeting will focus on regional economic integration, sustainable development, connectivity and digital innovation. Participants will also review the council's work this year and discuss priorities for 2027.

The council has already held three meetings in 2026, which took place in Jakarta, Mexico City and Bangkok, and produced 14 outcome documents.

The CEO Summit will draw on ABAC's policy recommendations for the year and discussions held during the summit to jointly issue a Shenzhen initiative with the Asia-Pacific business community, Wang noted.

The initiative will align with the theme of APEC China 2026, "Building an Asia-Pacific Community to Prosper Together," and reflect the business community's commitment to promoting openness, inclusive development, innovation, connectivity and mutually beneficial cooperation across the region, said Wang. (Xinhua)