PREPARATIONS for the APEC CEO Summit 2026 have entered the last stage, with work progressing in an orderly manner 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 have direct exchanges 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 event, with well-known companies from non-APEC economies, including Britain, France, Germany and Switzerland, also signing 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, the 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 APEC economy leaders, will hold its fourth meeting of the year in Shenzhen on Nov. 14 to 16.

Under its annual theme of “Openness, Connectivity and Synergy,” this ABAC meeting will focus on regional economic integration, sustainable development, connectivity and digital innovation, and review the year’s work and discuss priorities for next year.

The council has already held three meetings in 2026, which took place in Jakarta, Mexico City and Bangkok, producing 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)