2026 APEC CEO Summit to be Held in Shenzhen, China
The China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT) announced that the 2026 APEC CEO Summit will take place in Shenzhen on November 17‑18, 2026. The summit is the flagship business platform of the APEC calendar, coinciding with the 33rd APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting later in November, and marks the APEC China Year.
The event is expected to attract more than 2,000 participants, comprising government officials, business leaders and media representatives. Companies from all 21 APEC economies have confirmed attendance, and firms from the United Kingdom, France, Germany and Switzerland have also shown strong interest. U.S. companies constitute the largest group of corporate participants among non‑Chinese APEC economies, underscoring robust American business enthusiasm for the Asia‑Pacific market and China‑U.S. cooperation.
Chinese enterprises are slated to present a “very strong lineup” of industry leaders, reflecting the marked rise in China’s global industrial and supply‑chain influence since the Beijing APEC meeting twelve years ago. The summit’s registration drive has entered its final stage and is proceeding smoothly, according to CCPIT spokesperson Wang Wenshuai, who highlighted the optimism surrounding China’s development prospects.
The agenda will focus on key regional economic priorities, including the proposed Free Trade Area of the Asia‑Pacific, regional connectivity, artificial intelligence, the digital economy, sustainable development, and the Guangdong‑Hong Kong‑Macao Greater Bay Area. Discussions will also cover the region’s digital and green transition.
The APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC) – the principal mechanism for business input into APEC policy – has convened three meetings this year in Jakarta, Mexico City and Bangkok, producing 14 outcome documents, among them two statements supporting the Free Trade Area and regional connectivity. ABAC’s fourth meeting will be held in Shenzhen from November 14‑16 under the theme “Openness, Connectivity, Synergy,” concentrating on economic integration, sustainability, connectivity and digital innovation.
Building on ABAC’s recommendations, summit organizers will launch the “APEC CEO Summit Shenzhen Initiative 2026,” aligning with the APEC China Year theme and pledging greater openness, connectivity, innovation and regional cooperation.
The official summit website is www.apecceosummit2026.cn.