Shenzhen Customs reported foreign trade totaling 5.25 trillion yuan in the first 10 months of 2026, marking a 40.9 percent year-on-year increase as the city finalizes preparations for the upcoming APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting.
Organizers confirmed at a Saturday press briefing that preparations for the 33rd APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting are complete, chinadailyasia.com reported. The summit will take place in Shenzhen, Guangdong province, on November 18 and 19, 2026.
Chinese President Xi Jinping will lead the summit, which operates under the theme “Building an Asia-Pacific Community to Prosper Together,” voi.id reported. Xi is also scheduled to deliver a keynote speech at the APEC CEO Summit on November 17.
Wang Xi, deputy head of the provincial preparatory leading group, told the briefing that organizers integrated green practices, traditional Lingnan culture, and digital technologies into venue preparations. Guangdong province has arranged 218 visitor sites and 43 routes for delegates, chinadailyasia.com reported.
To accommodate international participants, Shenzhen Mayor Li Yun said that venues and municipal services have undergone comprehensive upgrades. The city established dedicated customs channels at nine ports, installed over 7,000 AI translation devices, and standardized more than 100,000 foreign-language signs.
| Metric | Figure | Change / Comparison |
|---|---|---|
| Total Foreign Trade (Jan-Oct 2026) | 5.25 trillion yuan | Up 40.9% year-on-year |
| Total Exports (Jan-Oct 2026) | 2.71 trillion yuan | Up 19.7% year-on-year |
| Total Imports (Jan-Oct 2026) | 2.54 trillion yuan | Up 73.7% year-on-year |
More than 3,000 ATMs now support cash withdrawals for foreign bank cards, over 1,600 bank branches offer currency exchange, and metro fare gates accept contactless overseas payments.
Regional delegations are finalizing their agendas ahead of the formal sessions. Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Director General of Asia Pacific and Africa Santo Darmosumarto confirmed that President Prabowo Subianto will attend, bringing discussions on national resilience, energy security, and economic multilateralism, voi.id reported.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said that China is hosting the summit 12 years after its previous turn, following more than 300 preparatory meetings across member economies. Organizers also unveiled the official host-city theme song, “Meet You Where Wonders Bloom,” performed by singers Jane Zhang and Joseph Zeng, ANTARA News reported.
