China to Host APEC 2026 in Shenzhen

Leaders at the 32nd APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting in Gyeongju reaffirmed commitment to multilateralism, and Chinese President Xi Jinping announced Shenzhen will host APEC 2026 while proposing five initiatives to protect the multilateral trading system, stabilize supply chains, and advance digital and green transformation. Beijing cast itself as a defender of multilateral rules and is pushing “high‑standard” institutional opening‑up—shortening negative lists, expanding pilot free‑trade zones and aligning rules—to attract investment ahead of its chairmanship. Observers and business leaders said the meeting injected positive energy and stability into a fragile global economy, noting U.S.-China discussions produced a pragmatic truce rather than a grand bargain. Participants warned that rising protectionism, trade restrictions and growing energy demands from technologies such as AI threaten trade growth and that practical reforms are needed to restore predictability for businesses. Hong Kong was urged to deepen ties with Shenzhen to better integrate its financial strengths with the mainland’s tech capabilities before the 2026 summit.