Media Center for 2026 APEC Economic Leaders' Week opens in Shenzhen

Volunteers and staff work at the information desk of the APEC media center, which opened Wednesday in Shenzhen to serve nearly 5,000 Chinese and international journalists. Lai Li

The Media Center for the 2026 APEC Economic Leaders’ Week officially opened and went into operation Wednesday in Shenzhen, the host city.

The media center — located in Hall 2 of the Shenzhen Convention and Exhibition Center (Futian) — covers approximately 15,000 square meters. It features designated areas for media work, technical support, press conferences, a "Home for Journalists" service center and refreshments. It will offer services including news updates, broadcast feeds, press briefings and AI-assisted editing tools to nearly 5,000 Chinese and international journalists.

Upon entering the facility, visitors are greeted by a sailboat-shaped installation featuring nine digital flip screens.

Named "Asia-Pacific Sails," the installation features digital screens mounted above a ship-shaped to mimic layered, unfolding sails. The design symbolizes Asia-Pacific economies working together and sailing toward a shared future, echoing the theme of this year's summit: "Building an Asia-Pacific Community to Prosper Together."

The "Asia-Pacific Sails" installation, featuring digital screens mounted on a sailboat-shaped base, is displayed at the APEC media center in Shenzhen. Photos by Yang Mei unless otherwise stated

A visitor walks past the "Asia-Pacific Sails" installation, which symbolizes cooperation among APEC economies, at the media center in Shenzhen.

At the heart of the facility lies an open media workspace covering more than 2,500 square meters. Suspended above it is a four-sided display array, with each side measuring 16 meters wide by 5.5 meters high. Throughout Leaders' Week, the screens will broadcast live coverage of major events and display real-time updates regarding press briefings, interview schedules, conference announcements, and media tours.

Around the central displays are approximately 700 standard media workstations, with space for nearly 1,000 journalists at peak capacity.

The center provides free high-speed wired and wireless internet access for accredited journalists using personalized login credentials. Through the media center's official website (press.apec2026.cn), reporters can access official event coverage, service notices, and digital media services.

Rows of workstations fill the main media workspace at the APEC media center, which provides about 700 workstations for journalists covering Leaders’ Week.

A view of the APEC media center shows dedicated media facilities and areas for journalists to work and relax.

The center also provides dedicated broadcast studios, interview rooms, stand-up reporting areas, and high-definition photo and video downloads.

The press conference halls will serve as the main venues for official announcements and media briefings throughout the week. The center houses two briefing rooms: Hall A, with a capacity of 500 people, and Hall B, which accommodates 300. Both are equipped with simultaneous interpretation booths to support multilingual coverage.

A press conference hall at the APEC media center is equipped for official briefings and media sessions during the 2026 APEC Economic Leaders’ Week.

A highlight tailored specifically for media personnel is the "Home for Journalists" service area, which consists of two interactive spaces: a cultural exchange zone and a technology experience zone.

The cultural zone showcases traditional Chinese culture through three interactive experiences: readings sessions, tea tasting, and intangible cultural heritage craft-making. Displays featuring bamboo forests, paper-cutting, gambiered Guangdong gauze, and historic overseas Chinese correspondence (Qiaopi) from the 21 APEC member economies offer journalists a glimpse of Chinese cultural traditions and aesthetics.

The technology experience zone showcases dozens of cutting-edge media tools developed in Shenzhen, including cameras designed for multiple settings, real-time translation devices, smart headphones, AR glasses, and exoskeletons. Journalists can also enjoy automated refreshments prepared by robotic baristas and ice cream makers.

A bamboo-themed cultural exchange area offers journalists a space to explore traditional Chinese culture at the APEC media center.

Two journalists try out an AI-powered photo booth at the Media Center for the 2026 APEC Economic Leaders’ Week in Shenzhen. Lu Ying

Two humanoid robots stand behind a coffee counter at the APEC media center, where automated services are among the technology experiences available to journalists.

Located in Hall 5, the dining facility can accommodate nearly 1,000 people at a time. It offers Chinese, Western, and halal meals, with a focus on Cantonese cuisine, Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area specialties, and international dishes to cater to different tastes and dietary requirements. Master Cantonese chefs will prepare signature dishes live during each meal period. 

A spacious dining hall at the APEC media center can accommodate nearly 1,000 people at a time and serves Chinese, Western and halal meals.

Chefs prepare food at a Cantonese cuisine station in the media center's dining facility, where traditional Guangdong specialties are among the offerings.

To facilitate media coverage, the center provides shuttle services between designated media hotels and the venue. Volunteer support is available throughout the journalists' stay in Shenzhen, with 420 university student volunteers from institutions such as Shenzhen University and Southern University of Science and Technology. More than 200 volunteers will work inside the center, r, providing press support, welcoming journalists and helping them navigate the facility. All have received basic first-aid certification and training in international etiquette and protocol.

During Leaders' Week, the media center will organize city tours to give visiting journalists a firsthand look at Shenzhen's development and China's modernization efforts.