Shenzhen Marks 100-Day Countdown to APEC Summit

Shenzhen entered the 100-day countdown on Monday to hosting the 33rd APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting, set for November 18-19 in the southern Chinese technology hub. This marks the third time China has hosted the APEC summit, following Shanghai in 2001 and Beijing in 2014, according to the APEC China 2026 Wikipedia article.

The summit, themed “Building an Asia-Pacific Community to Prosper Together,” will focus on three priority areas: openness, innovation, and cooperation. As CCTV News reported, Shenzhen has already hosted several warm-up events, including the APEC Forestry Ministers’ Meeting and the APEC SME Business Forum, as the city enters the final phase of preparation.

A City Built on Innovation

Shenzhen’s selection as host city reflects its transformation from a small fishing village into a modern international metropolis - a journey that Xinhua News describes as a “miracle city” of China’s development. The city boasts a GDP of 3.87 trillion yuan (2025), the highest R&D investment intensity among Chinese cities at 6.67%, and over 26,000 national high-tech enterprises. Strategic emerging industries account for 43% of GDP, and the “Shenzhen-Hong Kong-Guangzhou” cluster ranks first globally in the Global Innovation Cluster index.

The city is showcasing its technological prowess in summit preparations, featuring smart courtyard maintenance, unmanned food delivery vehicles, and humanoid robots in public spaces. Shenzhen is also accelerating the export of smart equipment to Asia-Pacific markets, bringing Chinese technology solutions to the APEC stage.

Surging Trade with APEC Economies

Shenzhen’s economic ties with APEC member economies have deepened significantly. In the first half of 2026, the city’s imports and exports with APEC economies reached 1.98 trillion yuan, a 33% year-on-year increase, accounting for 68.8% of Shenzhen’s total foreign trade value, according to the Shenzhen Government website.

Over 90% of Shenzhen’s actual utilized foreign investment in H1 2026 came from APEC economies, while nearly 60% of Shenzhen enterprises’ outbound investment went to APEC members. Yantian Port opened 11 new international routes connecting to APEC member economies in the first seven months of 2026, and Shenzhen Customs issued 181,300 certificates of origin for exports to APEC economies worth over 48.3 billion yuan.

The trade surge reflects a “two-way street” dynamic: “Shenzhen-made” products like new energy vehicles and smart glasses are gaining traction in Asia-Pacific markets, while high-quality products from APEC economies - such as Indonesian live seafood - are reaching Chinese consumers through Shenzhen’s ports with expedited customs clearance.

Foreign Visitors Surge Ahead of Summit

As of August 4, the number of foreigners entering and exiting through Shenzhen ports exceeded 5 million for the year - 58 days earlier than in 2025, as CCTV News via Phoenix News reported. Of these, 3.433 million were from APEC economies, a 23.6% year-on-year increase.

To accommodate the influx, Shenzhen Airport now operates over 300 weekly flights connecting to APEC member economies, with new routes to Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Hanoi, and Jakarta. The airport has introduced an AI assistant supporting seven languages, pre-inspection of luggage, and streamlined customs procedures that have reduced entry times from approximately 45 minutes to 15 minutes.

Citywide Preparations in Full Swing

The city has undertaken extensive preparations to welcome international guests. Over 40,000 foreign language signage issues have been rectified citywide, 1.1 million bus stop names now have English translations, and 13,600 buses feature bilingual audio announcements. More than 5,000 taxis are equipped with AI translation devices supporting 146 languages, and 96 AI translation devices have been deployed at key service areas.

The rebuilt Huanggang Port, set to become the world’s largest land port building, will implement a “one-stop inspection” customs model. Shenzhen’s 4.2 million registered volunteers are undergoing specialized APEC training programs, including language and international etiquette courses.

Building Momentum Through APEC Year Events

China has already hosted three Senior Officials’ Meetings, five ministerial meetings, and over 180 events across various fields as part of the APEC “China Year.” In July, Shenzhen hosted the APEC Forestry Ministers’ Meeting, which adopted the “2026 APEC Forestry Ministers’ Meeting Joint Statement” and released “Symbiotic City: Shenzhen’s Practice of Harmony Between People and Nature,” as reported by the Chinese Government website.

APEC Secretariat Executive Director Eduardo Pedrosa praised Shenzhen’s development, noting that “the city coexists with greenery and mangroves,” and highlighted two Shenzhen experiences worth sharing: using technological innovation to identify and track illegal activities, and adhering to green and sustainable development during urbanization.

Camila Zedpa, head of the Mexican delegation at the forestry meeting, said: “Shenzhen perfectly combines cutting-edge technology, complete infrastructure, and high-quality living comfort. This ecological restoration and urban governance experience is very worth learning from.”

Expert Perspectives on APEC’s Significance

Carlos Kuriyama, Director of the APEC Policy Support Unit, told People’s Daily that China’s theme and priority areas “both continue APEC’s consistent core philosophy and meet the common expectations of all members to address global challenges and advance Asia-Pacific cooperation to a new level.” He acknowledged that “APEC development still faces challenges of imbalance and insufficiency, requiring joint efforts from all parties to ensure growth benefits all economies.”

Chen Weiguang, a senior researcher at Guangdong University of Foreign Studies, captured the symbiotic relationship between the city and the summit: “Shenzhen rises because of APEC, and APEC becomes concrete because of Shenzhen.” He described the APEC meeting as an “accelerator” for Shenzhen’s high-level opening up, giving the city unprecedented international exposure.

What to Watch For

The November summit will bring together leaders from APEC’s 21 member economies, representing approximately 60% of global GDP and nearly half of world trade. The meeting comes at a critical juncture for regional cooperation, with challenges including geopolitical tensions, rising protectionism, and uneven economic recovery.

As Guangzhou Daily noted, the summit represents China’s most important diplomatic event of the year and a key moment for the Greater Bay Area. The city’s preparations reflect a broader ambition: to use the summit as a catalyst for urban governance improvements, internationalization, and deeper regional integration.

With 100 days remaining, Shenzhen is positioning itself not just as a host city, but as a living demonstration of how innovation-driven development can contribute to shared prosperity across the Asia-Pacific region. The world will be watching to see whether the “Shenzhen model” can help bridge divides and build momentum for a more open, connected, and cooperative Asia-Pacific community.