APEC 2026 summit in Shenzhen

The 2026 APEC summit and related events are scheduled to take place in Shenzhen, China. The APEC Business Leaders' Meeting, hosted by the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, is expected to host approximately 1,000 political and business representatives to discuss artificial intelligence, the digital economy, and sustainable development.

In conjunction with the summit, the APEC Secretariat has announced ten finalists for the APEC Photo Contest 2026. The contest, themed ‘Building an Asia-Pacific Community to Prosper Together,’ will announce its winners in November during APEC Economic Leaders’ Week.

These proceedings occur amid heightened diplomatic tensions between Japan and China. Following comments by Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi regarding a potential Taiwan contingency, bilateral relations have reached a significant low. While a formal summit between Prime Minister Takaichi and President Xi Jinping may not occur during the APEC meetings, analysts suggest a symbolic handshake remains a possibility.