On May 22–23, 2026, the APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation) Ministerial Meeting on Trade will be held in Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, China. This marks the return of an APEC series of meetings to Suzhou since the city hosted the 8th APEC Finance Ministers’ Meeting in 2001. Under the theme “Building an Asia-Pacific Community, Promoting Shared Prosperity,” the meeting will bring together trade ministers, high-level officials, and representatives of international organizations from 21 economies to jointly chart a new blueprint for economic and trade cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region.
Suzhou, an Eastern water city with a history spanning 2,500 years, is not only a major cradle of Wu culture but also a frontier of China’s reform and opening-up. The exquisite elegance of classical gardens harmonizes with the towering skyscrapers of the industrial park, while the meticulous craftsmanship of traditional silk-making complements the vibrant vitality of cutting-edge industries such as nanotechnology and artificial intelligence. Choosing Suzhou as the venue for this conference aptly embodies the event’s profound theme of “balancing heritage and innovation, and advancing openness and development hand in hand.”
The agenda for this conference builds upon traditional topics and delves deeper into emerging areas such as the digital economy, green and low-carbon development, and the resilience of industrial and supply chains, with the aim of fostering new drivers of economic growth. A series of workshops on investment facilitation, electronic bills of lading, green supply chains, and the e-Port Network will also be held during the conference to promote the sharing of experiences, policy exchanges, and technical cooperation in these areas, thereby helping more economies and small and medium-sized enterprises share in the fruits of Asia-Pacific development. Among these, the workshop on the digital economy will focus on artificial intelligence governance frameworks and rules for cross-border data flows. Participants will engage in in-depth discussions on how to bridge the digital divide and promote inclusive access to technology, striving to achieve practical outcomes for cooperation.
This meeting provides a valuable platform for economies across the Asia-Pacific region to engage in face-to-face dialogue on policies, align regulations, and share experiences. Against the backdrop of rising unilateralism and profound adjustments in global supply chains, Asia-Pacific economies need now more than ever to bridge differences through dialogue and strengthen resilience through cooperation. Participants will further explore new pathways for institutional openness, promote the synergy of regional free trade agreements and mutual recognition of standards, and establish more actionable cooperation frameworks in areas such as the digital economy, green and low-carbon development, and the facilitation of customs clearance for emergency supplies. Practice has proven that openness and cooperation are the most effective means of addressing uncertainty, and that a rules-based multilateral trading system is the cornerstone of Asia-Pacific prosperity.
As an important member of APEC and a responsible major country, China has consistently upheld the principle of “open regionalism” and is committed to promoting the building of a community with a shared future in the Asia-Pacific. From the 8th APEC Finance Ministers’ Meeting held in Suzhou in 2001 to the upcoming 32nd APEC Trade Ministers’ Meeting, China has continued to build multi-level platforms for international exchange and actively participated in the reform of the global economic governance system. Looking ahead, China is willing to work with all economies to overcome development challenges through openness, harness the power of cooperation through connectivity, and tap into new sources of growth through innovation, thereby contributing more Chinese wisdom and solutions to the economic and trade development of the Asia-Pacific region and the world at large.
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