Shenzhen hosts the APEC summit amid anticipation for tripartite summit discussions between the leaders of America, China and Russia
All eyes are on the Chinese city of Shenzhen, which will host, on November 18 and 19, the summit of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Forum. The meeting is gaining great political and economic importance, amid expectations of high-level discussions between the leaders of the United States, China and Russia, addressing issues that go beyond trade and investment to include armed conflicts and geopolitical challenges affecting the global economy.
Chinese President Xi Jinping will chair the 33rd session of the summit, held under the slogan “Building an Asia-Pacific community to achieve common prosperity.” In parallel, Shenzhen will host the CEO Summit on November 17 and 18, with the participation of nearly a thousand representatives of governments and major companies, according to the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
APEC derives its weight from the economic weight of its 21 members, who together represent about 62 percent of the global gross domestic product and nearly half the volume of international trade. According to Reuters, any understandings issued by the summit related to customs duties, supply chains, or the technology sector will have a broad impact on the movement of global markets.
Free trade versus protectionism
Trade liberalization and investment facilitation issues top the summit’s agenda, in light of escalating trade disputes and increasing restrictions on the export of advanced technologies in the Asia-Pacific region.
The priorities of the Chinese presidency of the forum for the year 2026 revolve around three basic directions included in the General Secretariat of the Forum, which are: openness, innovation, and cooperation. With the aim of advancing economic integration among member states, developing the Asia-Pacific Free Trade Area, and enhancing the ability of supply chains to confront crises.
These efforts come at a time when estimates by the APEC Policy Support Unit point to the possibility of a slowdown in the pace of economic growth in the region, recording 3.3 percent in 2025, falling to 3.2 percent in 2026, then to 3 percent in 2027, affected by rising energy prices, continuing geopolitical tensions, and increasing uncertainty surrounding global trade.
China seeks to enhance its international presence
Beijing’s goals in hosting the summit are not limited to expanding its diplomatic influence, but rather the occasion represents an opportunity to strengthen its position in the global trade system and attract more foreign investments, especially in light of the local challenges represented by weak domestic consumption and the real estate sector crisis.
The data shows China’s expanding dependence on external demand, as its trade surplus exceeded the trillion-dollar barrier during the first ten months of 2026, driven by strong global demand for artificial intelligence products, while exports recorded annual growth of 35.2 percent during October, according to Reuters data. However, this performance puts Beijing at risk of escalating trade disputes with its partners, which makes maintaining the openness of foreign markets an essential pillar for the continued growth of its exports.
The choice of Shenzhen carries a prominent economic significance. The city, which was a prominent starting point for the experience of special economic zones in China, has today turned into an international center for technological industries that includes major companies such as “Tencent.” Despite this, large sectors still depend on foreign markets to sell their products, which reinforces the importance of access to international markets to ensure their expansion plans, according to a Reuters report issued on November 12.
A possible summit between Trump, Xi and Putin
On the political level, the possibility of US President Donald Trump meeting with his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, and his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, on the sidelines of the summit, stands out as one of the most prominent developments receiving intense international follow-up.
Technology and energy security are at the heart of the discussions
In addition to political and commercial files, artificial intelligence is firmly on the agenda of leaders, with a focus on its role in raising productivity and expanding the digital economy, as well as directing investments towards advanced technological infrastructure. Discussions also include energy and food security, the transition towards a green economy, and ways to enhance the resilience of supply chains.
The forum’s data reflects a radical shift in global investment priorities. The communications, electronics, and energy sectors accounted for 57.6 percent of new investments in projects created from scratch during 2025, an increase of nearly ten percentage points compared to their levels five years ago. These indicators confirm that economic competition has become closely linked to possessing and developing digital infrastructure and advanced technologies and securing the necessary energy sources for them.
