GOVERNMENT officials, academicians, industry leaders, and representatives of small and medium‑sized enterprises (SMEs) from across the APEC economies have convened in Shenzhen to chart new courses for the digital and intelligent transformation of SMEs in the Asia-Pacific.

The attendees are participating in the APEC SME Business Forum 2026, which kicked off yesterday in Luohu District and will run through tomorrow.

Since its launch in 2017, the forum has been hosted in China six times, establishing itself as a premier platform for high-level policy dialogue, SME innovation, and the optimization of regional business environments.

Under the theme “Digital Intelligence Empowers, Open Innovation Drives, Win-Win Cooperation Prevails,” this year’s agenda features a primary forum complemented by three parallel sessions. Additionally, a dedicated exhibition area has been established to showcase the latest innovative breakthroughs from regional SMEs.

At the main forum, keynote speakers will analyze the evolving global trade and investment landscape, with a focus on the transformative impact of large-scale AI models on the international expansion of enterprises. Panelists will also explore strategies to help SMEs maintain steady growth amidst a complex and volatile global economy.

To provide a hands-on perspective of Shenzhen’s industrial prowess, the forum includes three curated field trips.

Participants will visit the Shenzhen Jewelry Museum and Gold Plaza in Luohu, the Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Cooperation Zone, and the AI and Robot 6S stores in Longgang District.

(SD News)