Shenzhen vows high-standard hosting for APEC meeting

Shenzhen will spare no effort to provide professional, orderly and secure services for the APEC leaders’ meeting scheduled for Nov. 18–19, Mayor Qin Weizhong said at a press conference held during the fifth session of the 14th Guangdong Provincial People’s Congress on Tuesday.

Officials address the press at a press conference held during the fifth session of the 14th Guangdong Provincial People’s Congress on Tuesday. Photos by He Long

Qin outlined a three-pronged preparation strategy, saying Shenzhen will mobilize resources across all departments to ensure every logistical, security and organizational detail is in place for a smooth, high-standard summit.

The city also plans to deepen cooperation with APEC economies and expand ties with innovative global cities and major ports to broaden its international partnerships. Qin pledged to build a comprehensive, end-to-end international service system — improving international schools, medical services and talent communities — to make it easier for expatriates to live and work in Shenzhen, including access to employment, healthcare, education, tourism and transportation.

On trade and investment, Qin said Shenzhen will pursue greater integration of domestic and international markets, step up efforts to attract both inbound and outbound investment, and promote the “Invest in Shenzhen” brand. The city will support companies’ overseas expansion through sister-city networks, overseas economic and trade offices, chambers of commerce and other channels to encourage orderly cross-border development of supply chains and industry clusters.

“We will shoulder the responsibilities of a host city and use the APEC meeting as a major opportunity to deepen international cooperation, accelerate urban internationalization and further open our economy,” Qin said.

Shenzhen Mayor Qin Weizhong speaks during the press conference.

He highlighted Shenzhen’s economic performance in 2025, saying that the city’s foreign trade reached 4.55 trillion yuan (US$654.84 billion) last year, keeping Shenzhen the top-ranked city in the country for a second consecutive year. Actual use of foreign capital rose 14.4% year on year, placing Shenzhen second nationwide by scale.

Officials from Guangzhou, Zhuhai, Huizhou and Dongguan also attended Tuesday’s briefing and answered journalists’ questions.