The 2026 APEC Ministerial Meeting on Forestry officially kicked off in China's southern tech hub of Shenzhen on Tuesday, marking the first time in 15 years that APEC has hosted a specialized ecological conference in China.
The high-level gathering, themed on "Building a Green Asia-Pacific, Sharing Ecological Well-being," is being held at the Shenzhen International Exchange Center.
The Asia-Pacific region accounts for more than half of the world's forest area, contributes approximately 60 percent of global forest product production and about 40 percent of forest product trade, and holds nearly half of the world's mangrove resources.
Delegates from member economies are engaging in policy dialogues on topics including forest protection and sustainable management, as well as scientific and technological innovation.
On Monday, more than 100 representatives from 21 economies visited the Shenzhen Museum of Contemporary Art and Urban Planning to participate in mangrove propagules planting activity.
At the event, heads of delegations from various economies personally planted mangrove propagules, which will later be transplanted to the APEC Forestry Ministers' Forest within Guangdong Neilingding Futian National Nature Reserve, a living symbol of Asia-Pacific cooperation.
"We have a very keen opportunity here, not only to share that, but taking advantage of also all of the experience that China has, for example, in mangrove restoration," said Camila Zepeda, head of the International Affairs Unit at Mexico's Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources.
APEC ministerial meeting on forestry kicks off in Shenzhen
Slovak citizens have spoken highly of China's remarkable development accomplishments and voiced expectations for closer bilateral cooperation as their president is paying a state visit to China.
At the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping, President of the Slovak Republic Peter Pellegrini is on a state visit to China from Monday to Wednesday.
In a recent vox pop by China Global Television Network (CGTN), local people in Bratislava, Slovakia's capital, shared their impressions of China, outlooks on bilateral relations, and hopes for the presidential visit. Interviewees across different professions praised China's progress, with many highlighting its remarkable advances in infrastructure, technological innovation and economic growth.
Daniele, an IT developer, was particularly drawn to China's rich cultural heritage.
"It has a very nice culture, so that's why in the future I think I will visit this country," he said.
For others, China's forward-looking vision is a major source of inspiration. Veronika, a sales clerk, expressed her fascination with the country's technological strides.
"I have a very positive view of China. I'm fascinated by its technology and enjoy learning about it. I think there's a lot we can learn from China, and I really admire how forward-looking it is," she said.
Robin, another sales clerk, sees valuable lessons for Slovakia in China's economic model.
"It's a big country with a long history, and I think concerning the economy, it's something we can learn about to make our own economy more versatile," he said.
Jan Kubo, an administrative manager, was impressed by the sheer scale of China's development.
"China impressed me with the sheer scale of infrastructure development and economic growth," he said.
Looking ahead to how bilateral ties may evolve after the state visit, most interviewees expressed optimism about mutually beneficial collaboration.
"I think China could really contribute a lot to Slovakia's development. As I mentioned earlier, this is particularly the case with technology – whether it's cars, machinery, heavy equipment, or everyday items like phones, tablets and computers. There's definitely a lot we can learn from China, and I believe that's going to help us move forward," said Veronika.
"It's very important that these countries work together because they can learn from each other," said Robin.
When it comes to overall expectations for the presidential visit, local residents looked forward to tangible outcomes and closer bonds between the two countries.
"I certainly expect the visit to bring tangible benefits to our country. I hope the two sides will reach agreements that benefit the Slovak Republic," said Veronika.
"He is representing our European values, this is very important. But also strengthen the ties between the two countries," said Robin.
Slovaks praise China's development, eye deeper cooperation as president visits China
