The 2026 APEC meeting to be held in Shenzhen could inspire global development, a renowned scholar and diplomat said at a recent interview with South International Communication Center.

"It's a great opportunity to showcase Shenzhen. I was here seven years ago. I have seen the tremendous development of Shenzhen. And it's also part of the Greater Bay Area. We will see the connecitivity between Shenzhen and all the other cities in the Greater Bay Area," said Eduardo Pedrosa, executive director of the APEC Secretariat during an interview.

China has proposed openness, innovation, and cooperation as the three priorities for the 2026 APEC “China Year,” while announcing “Building an Asia-Pacific Community to Prosper Together” as its official theme.

The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Symposium and Informal Senior Officials’ Meeting (ISOM) began Thursday in Shenzhen, marking the first event hosted by China as the chair of the 2026 APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting.

China joined APEC in 1991.

APEC is the premier economic cooperation forum in the Asia-Pacific region.

The APEC Photo Contest began in 2011 to raise awareness on APEC's mission, achievements, and impact on people's lives in the region. The competition offers a platform for professionals and amateur photography enthusiasts to showcase their work highlighting the dynamic and diverse Asia-Pacific region. Over the years, the photo contest has also continuously attracted many promising and talented photographers to share their creative take on APEC's host priorities and APEC's work.