Preparations are entering their final stage for the 33rd APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting scheduled for November 18-19 in the tech hub of Shenzhen in south China's Guangdong Province.
This will be China's third time hosting an edition of the annual event, following meetings in Shanghai in 2001 and Beijing in 2014. Red flags bearing the official APEC logo and the exclusive slogan "APEC CHINA 2026" are fluttering in the wind, echoing the APEC-themed purple banner flags on the roadside.
To speed up entry for delegates and guests, the Shenzhen Customs has established dedicated APEC clearance lanes at major ports of entry, including the Bao'an Airport, Shekou, Shenzhen Bay and Huanggang. Advance screening at the airport has reduced inbound clearance times to under 15 minutes, while outbound procedures have been streamlined into a single inspection, eliminating the need for passengers to handle their luggage twice.
The host city Shenzhen is promoting green travel, remote working and staggered commuting to ease traffic congestion during the meeting. Meanwhile, 90 percent of official vehicles will be taken off the roads.
In addition, in order to help international visitors find their way around, multilingual signs have been installed across major transport hubs, and the metro now accepts foreign bank cards for contactless payments.
More than 4.2 million registered volunteers are ready to assist visitors, while APEC-themed training sessions at community centers are encouraging more residents to take part in welcoming visitors.
South China's Shenzhen gearing up for 33rd APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting
