Taking over as host country for APEC 2026, China is striving forward to enhance the strengths of the Asia-Pacific region with innovation, sustainability and unity.
It will be the third time the country has taken on the role, with previous summits held in Shanghai in 2001 and Beijing in 2014. Next year, Shenzhen, the tech hub of south China, will host APEC's flagship meetings.
On the final day of the 2025 APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting, which ran from Friday to Saturday in Gyeongju, the Republic of Korea, Chinese President Xi Jinping's put forth three key proposals as regional priorities: digital and smart development, low-carbon transformation, and an inclusive future.
Xi emphasized that as the world confronts slow growth and widening development gaps, countries in the Asia-Pacific must join hands, not build barriers.
His proposals have received a warm welcome from regional attendees at the event, including business leaders in emerging sectors that will play a key role in bringing the Chinese president's vision to fruition.
"I think it's important that countries learn to harmonize, work together and consolidate their capabilities, in particular, with energy and create more resilient supply chains for things that help power countries for the future," said Salvador Ahumada, chairman and CEO of ACEIS Electric and Power.
With China as host, topics including open trade, frontier technology and climate change are expected to dominate discussions in 2026.
At the closing ceremony of the 2025 APEC CEO Summit on Friday, Ren Hongbin, chairman of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT), received the summit's chairmanship from Chey Tae-won, chairman of the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI), officially taking over as the host of the APEC CEO Summit 2026 on behalf of the CCPIT.
"The Asia Pacific is always a driving force, or we can say the engine of the global growth. Especially from the point of view of CCPIT. I think it's a task and a responsibility to help companies to overcome the current, very complex landscape," said Ren.
With the gavel passed to China, the spotlight shifts to Shenzhen -- the birthplace of China's free-trade policies and today a powerhouse of tech innovation.
From the historic city of Gyeongju to the futuristic tech hub Shenzhen, observers have expressed confidence that APEC will turn vision into action, creating a more connected and prosperous Asia Pacific.
China to embrace innovation, regional unity as 2026 APEC chair
