CHINA will work to promote the adoption of a clear and substantive outcome document at this year’s APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting, which will be held in Shenzhen in November, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said yesterday.

Speaking at the opening session of the First Senior Officials’ Meeting of APEC China 2026 in Guangzhou, Wang outlined China’s priorities for its host year. These include actively advancing the building of the Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific and promoting a new blueprint for upgrading regional connectivity.

Driven by innovation, China will also support the digital, intelligent, and green transition among APEC economies and deepen practical cooperation on development-related governance, Wang stated.

To tackle common development challenges across the region, he called for enhanced cooperation in fiscal policy, transportation, tourism, public health, aging populations, and food security.

He further emphasized the need to boost interactions among small and medium-sized enterprises and to strengthen exchanges in human resources, women’s and youth affairs, and media.

According to Wang, this is the third time that China plays host to APEC and the first after 12 years, following meetings in Shanghai in 2001 and Beijing in 2014.

Over the past 12 years, APEC member economies have experienced sustained growth. Representing nearly 40% of the world’s population, the bloc now contributes over 60% of global GDP and accounts for almost half of worldwide trade.

The region has fully embraced the digital era, with internet penetration leaping from 52% to nearly 90%. Booming sectors such as the digital economy, artificial intelligence, and new energy vehicles have cemented APEC’s role as a global hub for innovation and growth.

(SD-Xinhua)