ABAC China representative highlights digital economy growth in Asia Pacific

Zeng Qi, China's representative to the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC), called for stronger digital infrastructure, mutual recognition of cross border digital rules, and open-source AI to help small and medium-sized enterprises and smaller economies benefit from digital openness.

In an interview with China Global Television Network (CGTN), Zeng emphasized the need to break down regulatory barriers, bridge the digital divide, and foster cooperation across the Asia-Pacific to promote the digital economy.

"As economies continue to develop AI and the digital economy, they also need to work hard to promote mutual recognition of rules across regions. For example, when we talk about the digital economy supporting cross-border trade, it will inevitably promote the mutual recognition of e-signatures, e-identities and e-invoices. But without a mutual recognition mechanism and without a way to connect data at the underlying level, cross-border digital trade will become empty talk," said Zeng.

She highlighted the huge development gap among member economies of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC).

"Asia-Pacific economies are clearly differentiated: some are very developed, while some are less developed. So in the development and application of AI, I think we should encourage the better-off economies to increase investment and explore more frontier areas of AI. The rapid development of quantum technology can lead new technologies and promote better human development. At the same time, we should also encourage open-source application of these new technologies."

ABAC, a mechanism through which the regional business community participates in the APEC cooperative process and submits policy recommendations to APEC economy leaders, will hold its fourth meeting of the year in Shenzhen, south China, from Nov 14 to 16.

Under its annual theme of "Openness, Connectivity and Synergy," the 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 Jakarta, Mexico City and Bangkok, respectively, in 2026, producing 14 outcome documents.

ABAC China representative highlights digital economy growth in Asia Pacific

A successful Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders' Meeting in Shenzhen will send a strong signal of trust and have a positive effect on global governance, former UNESCO director-general Irina Bokova said ahead of the event.

China will host the 33rd APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting in Shenzhen in south China from Nov 18 to 19, which will mark the country's third hosting of the event following Shanghai in 2001 and Beijing in 2014.

Bokova brought the perspective of a veteran of multilateral institutions to what has become one of the most closely watched diplomatic gatherings of the year.

"I think that there are high expectations from this meeting because we know that today there are many challenges in the world. These geopolitical shifts sometimes need to build more trust. And this is one of the most dynamic regions in the world in terms of economic growth, in terms of trade opportunities and I would say widely impacting all the other developments and all the other risks even and opportunities that we have in the world. I think a successful APEC meeting here, will have a very positive effect on all the debate about global governance and I think that global governance today is the big topic," she said.

Commenting on this year's APEC agenda, Bokova emphasized the transformative role of innovation.

"It's the, I would say, the elephant in the room, it's the most important, one of the most important topics nowadays, because we know that artificial intelligence is all around us. It shapes our societies, our education systems, our jobs. Innovation of course is very much needed. Artificial intelligence for good, and I hope that this will be the topic also for this debate. Now the question is not whether we need artificial intelligence or not, we need it and we think that it may solve many of the humanity's problems, but the question here is whether we know how to manage using this in an ethical, inclusive and sustainable manner. This is the big topic in my mind," she said.

Successful APEC meeting to positively impact global governance: former UNESCO chief