CEO summit to fuel integration

Deepening regional economic integration, advancing free trade and expanding innovation cooperation will be crucial to unlocking new growth opportunities across the Asia-Pacific, as business leaders and policymakers sought to build a more connected and dynamic regional economy.

In a sign of the region's commitment to closer cooperation, 12 leaders of Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation member economies will attend the APEC CEO Summit 2026, which is scheduled to be held on Tuesday and Wednesday in Shenzhen, Guangdong province, the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade announced on Sunday.

President Xi Jinping, along with leaders from APEC economies Australia, Canada, Chile, China's Hong Kong, Indonesia, the Republic of Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, Russia, Thailand and Vietnam, will attend the summit and deliver speeches or remarks, or will take part in panel discussions, said Li Qingshuang, the council's vice-chairwoman, at a news conference.

Li said business leaders from 115 Fortune Global 500 companies will attend the APEC CEO Summit 2026, with companies from the United States accounting for nearly 20 percent of participating businesses, the largest share among economies outside the Chinese mainland.

Ahead of the summit, during the opening ceremony of the fourth meeting of the APEC Business Advisory Council in Shenzhen on Saturday, representatives from APEC economies called for greater openness and cooperation to deepen regional economic integration, improve connectivity and advance digital innovation.

Participants from Singapore, Thailand, Mexico, New Zealand and the US emphasized the importance of sustained dialogue and closer business engagement in navigating an increasingly complex international economic environment.

More than 200 representatives and guests from 21 APEC economies have gathered in Shenzhen for the meeting, which is scheduled to conclude on Monday, according to a statement released by the CCPIT over the weekend.

Li Fanrong, 2026 chair of the APEC Business Advisory Council and chairman of State-owned Sinochem Holdings Corp, said the council has identified 14 key deliverables this year, including policy recommendations to APEC leaders and statements addressing regional economic integration, free trade and connectivity.

Loreto Leyton, a business advisory council representative from Chile, said APEC remains one of the few platforms capable of bringing world leaders together for dialogue, playing an increasingly important role in promoting mutual understanding, cooperation and shared prosperity amid global challenges.

She also pointed to opportunities to promote sustainability, facilitate trade in goods and services, and provide greater support for small and medium-sized enterprises.

Kok Ping Soon, a business advisory council representative from Singapore, said: "For Singapore, trade rules are our lifeline. They create a level playing field for businesses and people, making deeper regional integration and a modernized global trading system essential."

The APEC Business Advisory Council provides a platform for business leaders across the Asia-Pacific to offer policy recommendations to APEC leaders, drawing on their firsthand experience to ensure that proposals reflect market realities and the needs of companies across the region.

Liu Chenyang, director of Nankai University's APEC Study Center in Tianjin, said the message from the meeting is clear: Asia-Pacific cooperation can deliver tangible benefits for economies of all sizes by translating policy commitments into new trade opportunities and building a more connected, inclusive regional economy.

Aravind Yarlagadda, senior vice-president of industrial solutions at Baker Hughes Co, a US energy equipment manufacturer, said that China plays a pivotal role in connecting industrial supply chains across the Asia-Pacific region, offering opportunities for US companies to combine advanced technologies with Chinese manufacturing capabilities and expertise.

Backed by six plants in China, Baker Hughes sees growing potential for cooperation in industrial artificial intelligence, predictive maintenance and energy efficiency, he said.

Saravoot Yoovidhya, CEO of TCP Group, the Thai conglomerate behind the energy drink brand Red Bull, said China's commitment to high-level opening-up and its extensive trade ties across the Asia-Pacific region have positioned the country as a key driver of regional economic integration, industrial cooperation and supply chain connectivity.

With cumulative investment exceeding 4.36 billion yuan ($653.5 million) in China, TCP is leveraging its manufacturing bases in Sichuan province and the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region to deepen industrial cooperation and expand connectivity with other APEC economies.

Jiang Xueqing contributed to this story.

zhongnan@chinadaily.com.cn