He Lifeng Urges APEC Unity at 32nd Trade Ministers Meeting
Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng addressed the 32nd APEC Ministers Responsible for Trade Meeting in Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, on May 23, 2026, urging member economies to uphold mutual respect and win-win cooperation amid accelerating global changes. The two-day meeting, chaired by China’s Minister of Commerce Wang Wentao, brought together approximately 700 representatives from all 21 APEC member economies and produced a comprehensive Joint Statement and the APEC Roadmap for Innovative, Competitive and Resilient Services.
Context: APEC at a Crossroads
The meeting took place against a backdrop of rising geopolitical tensions, escalating protectionism, and growing challenges to the multilateral trading system. According to Xinhua News, Wang Wentao described the international landscape as “complex,” marked by “unilateralism and protectionism” that have posed severe challenges to the global economic and trade order.
This gathering is a key milestone in the 2026 APEC “China Year,” which is being held under the theme “Building an Asia-Pacific Community to Prosper Together.” Approximately 300 events are planned across multiple Chinese cities throughout the year, culminating in the 33rd APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting in Shenzhen in November 2026. It marks the third time China has hosted APEC, following the 2001 Shanghai meeting and the 2014 Beijing summit.
He Lifeng’s Address: A Call for Cooperation
In his address, He Lifeng, who is also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, emphasized that APEC members can promote common prosperity and achieve open, high-quality, balanced, and secure development only by upholding mutual respect, mutual trust, and win-win cooperation. As reported by the Chinese government, he stated that “changes unseen in a century are accelerating” and called on members to navigate these challenges together.
He Lifeng further declared that China is ready to work with all parties to strengthen communication and dialogue in emerging areas, jointly support World Trade Organization (WTO) reform, and advance regional economic integration in a pragmatic and flexible manner. He added that China would contribute more positive energy to Asia-Pacific and global economic development through new achievements in Chinese modernization.
Bilateral Talks and Key Outcomes
On the sidelines of the meeting, He Lifeng held separate talks with WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and Thailand’s Deputy Prime Minister and Commerce Minister Suphajee Suthumpun, exchanging views on WTO-related issues and bilateral economic cooperation.
The meeting produced two major outcomes. The first was the 2026 APEC Ministers Responsible for Trade Joint Statement (the “Suzhou Statement”), in which ministers reaffirmed their commitment to advancing the Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific (FTAAP) agenda and acknowledged the need for meaningful WTO reform. The second was the approval of the APEC Roadmap for Innovative, Competitive and Resilient Services, a decade-long blueprint designed to identify and reduce barriers to services trade across the region.
According to the APEC Secretariat, ministers also discussed digital transformation, including cross-border data flows, paperless trade, and artificial intelligence’s potential to reshape international commerce. Supply chain resilience, particularly for essential goods including energy products, was another key focus area.
Economic Significance
The meeting underscored China’s deepening economic integration with the Asia-Pacific region. In 2025, China became the largest trading partner for 13 APEC economies, with total trade reaching $3.7 trillion — accounting for 57.8 percent of China’s total foreign trade. China has signed 24 free trade agreements with 31 countries and regions, including 15 APEC economies.
APEC itself has helped reduce average tariffs in the region from 17 percent in 1989 to approximately 5 percent today, demonstrating the bloc’s enduring impact on trade liberalization.
Analysis and Implications
The Suzhou Statement provides a unified framework for APEC trade cooperation at a time when the global trading system faces significant headwinds. The impasse at the WTO’s 14th Ministerial Conference (MC14) in Yaoundé, Cameroon, has underscored the urgency of reform, and APEC’s reaffirmation of support for the multilateral trading system sends a signal of collective resolve.
China’s role as APEC host positions it as a defender of multilateralism and regional economic integration, reinforcing its broader diplomatic strategy of promoting openness and cooperation amid global fragmentation. The Roadmap for Services creates a long-term framework for liberalizing a sector that accounts for a growing share of global trade.
What’s Next
All eyes now turn to the 33rd APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting in Shenzhen in November 2026, which will be the defining moment of China’s APEC hosting year. Key questions remain: Will the outcomes from Suzhou translate into concrete trade liberalization measures? Can the WTO reform agenda gain momentum following MC14’s impasse? And how will rising US-China trade tensions affect the broader APEC cooperation agenda? The answers will shape the Asia-Pacific economic landscape for years to come.