China to host APEC trade ministers' meeting later in May

The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Ministers Responsible for Trade Meeting will be held in Suzhou, east China's Jiangsu Province, from May 22 to 23, the Ministry of Commerce announced on Saturday.

The meeting will align with the theme of the APEC 2026 "China Year" -- "Building an Asia-Pacific Community to Prosper Together."

With openness, innovation and cooperation as its three major priorities, the meeting aims to facilitate pragmatic outcomes in key areas, including regional economic integration, development of the Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific, support for the multilateral trading system, digital cooperation, and green economy.

It will also prepare the trade and investment agenda for the APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting in November.

At the press conference in Beijing, Li Chenggang, China international trade representative with the Ministry of Commerce and vice minister of commerce, said that this year marks the 35th anniversary of China's entry to APEC and the third time China has hosted the regional economic forum.

"China hopes to send three signals through this meeting. China advocates high-level opening-up and is willing to promote the region's openness through its own opening up. China advocates the development of new quality productive forces and is ready to promote innovative development in the Asia-Pacific through its own development. China advocates universal benefits and inclusiveness, and stands ready to advance common prosperity in the Asia-Pacific through win-win cooperation," said Li.

A series of side events will also be organized during the meeting, providing a platform for dialog among APEC member economies, international organizations, think tanks, and regional business community.

"During the meeting, China will hold a series of seminars on investment facilitation, electronic bills of lading, green supply chains, electronic port networks and other topics, with the aim to promote experience sharing, policy exchange, and technical cooperation in these fields. We hope that more economies and more medium, small and micro enterprises will benefit from the development achievements of the Asia-Pacific region," Li said.

The 33rd APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting will be held in Shenzhen, south China's Guangdong Province, on Nov. 18 and 19. During the 2026 APEC "China Year," approximately 300 events are expected to take place across multiple cities in China, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

China to host APEC trade ministers' meeting later in May

Nicaragua's co-foreign minister Valdrack Jaentschke has warned that militarism must never be allowed to rise again, as Japan's recent moves to lift its arms export ban and revise the pacifist Constitution continue to draw international concern.

This year marks the 80th anniversary of the opening of the Tokyo Trials, where Japan's Class-A war criminals from World War II were brought to justice.

In an interview with China Global Television Network (CGTN), Valdrack Jaentschke voiced his concern that today's world order is being undermined by interventionism and other challenges.

"It is necessary for us to remember that after the end of World War II, countries worked hard to build a new international order based on international law. However, regrettably, more than 80 years later, we are seeing that this once explored and attempted order is being challenged by interventionism, a confrontational mindset, and tendencies like 'might makes right.' These are precisely the conditions that gave rise to fascism and militarism in the past, which ultimately led to the tragedy of World War II," he said.

He said the international community has a responsibility to pursue a new international order -- one fundamentally grounded in peace.

"Looking back at the history more than eight decades ago and comparing it with today's reality, it is our responsibility to recognize that the world should, and must, build a new international order that is more just, fairer, rooted in international law, based on a logic of mutual benefit and shared success, and fundamentally grounded in peace," said the minister.

"Today, as we revisit the Tokyo Trials, it is meant to remind the world that such a tragedy must never be repeated -- and that we must do everything in our power to prevent it from happening again. We must stop that dark world -- born from militarism, interventionism, and fascism -- from ever returning," he said.

Nicaraguan FM warns of militarism revival