Although APEC focuses on the Asia-Pacific region, its influence extends well beyond. In an increasingly interconnected global economy, economic trends, changes in industrial chains and technological developments in the Asia-Pacific are closely linked to developments in other parts of the world.

In the face of shared opportunities and challenges, economies need to strengthen cooperation and pursue common development through greater openness and connectivity. From international trade and investment to energy supplies, digital technology and people-to-people exchanges, the Asia-Pacific occupies an important position in the global economic network.

Understanding APEC is not only about understanding a regional cooperation mechanism, but also offers a window into broader trends shaping the global economy.

From a regional economic hub to a major engine of global growth

Why is the Asia-Pacific so important? Its significance lies first in its enormous economic scale and extensive international connections. According to official APEC statistics, in 2025, the 21 APEC member economies had a combined population of approximately 3 billion, accounting for 36.4% of the world's total.

Their real gross domestic product (GDP) reached approximately $61.4 trillion, representing 61.6% of global GDP. In the same year, APEC member economies accounted for 50.1% of global merchandise exports and 48.5% of global merchandise imports. These figures highlight the close links between economic activity in APEC member economies and global markets.

The Asia-Pacific is not only home to major manufacturing and consumer markets, but also an integral part of global industrial chains, supply chains and logistics networks. The production of a single electronic product, for example, may involve components manufactured, assembled and transported across multiple economies.

Bulk commodities such as energy resources, minerals and agricultural products also move through international trade networks to support production and consumption in different parts of the world.

The impact of these connections is not confined to the Asia-Pacific. As global industrial chains, supply chains and trade networks continue to expand, markets in the Asia-Pacific are becoming increasingly interconnected with economic activities in other regions.

Changes in the region's market demand, industrial distribution and logistics networks can affect the operations of businesses within the region and, through cross-border trade, investment cooperation and supply chain adjustments, extend their impact to other parts of the world.

From trade and investment to digital technology: The expanding agenda of regional cooperation

As global economic ties deepen, the range of issues discussed by APEC is also evolving. Traditional cooperation in trade and investment remains important, while artificial intelligence (AI), the digital economy, transport connectivity, energy security, food security and supply chain resilience are increasingly becoming key areas of regional cooperation.

Digital technology is a particularly important example. AI is transforming sectors ranging from manufacturing and finance to healthcare, education and public services. Digital infrastructure and cross-border data flows are also becoming increasingly important to international economic activity.

How economies promote technological innovation, strengthen digital cooperation and bridge the digital divide will shape the future competitiveness and inclusiveness of the global economy.

At the same time, the stability of energy and food supply chains is closely linked to the functioning of economies and people's livelihoods. Changes in global supply, fluctuations in transportation costs and unexpected risks can trigger ripple effects across national borders.

Strengthening supply chain resilience, promoting energy cooperation and improving the ability of food systems to withstand risks are shared challenges not only for Asia-Pacific economies, but also for the economic security and sustainable development of other regions.

These issues show that regional cooperation is no longer limited to discussions about the cross-border movement of goods. It also involves how technology develops, how resources are allocated and how economies can work together to address global challenges.

This reflects the reality that, as the interests of economies become increasingly intertwined, promoting openness and cooperation and pursuing common development are important ways to advance the building of a community with a shared future for humanity.

Leveraging APEC to advance openness, innovation and cooperation

In 2026, China will host APEC for the third time. The meeting is themed "Building an Asia-Pacific Community, Promoting Common Prosperity" and identifies openness, innovation and cooperation as its three priority areas.

Against a backdrop of growing global economic uncertainty and accelerating technological change, these priorities address the development needs of the Asia-Pacific while responding to challenges shared by the global economy.

Openness means maintaining trade and investment ties, improving market connectivity and creating a more stable and predictable environment for cross-border economic activities. Innovation means advancing emerging fields such as AI and digital technology while exploring new drivers of economic growth.

It also requires attention to the governance challenges arising from the rapid development of AI, so that technological innovation goes hand in hand with risk prevention and management. AI governance involves not only technological security, data privacy and ethical standards, but also the ability of economies to strengthen communication and coordination on technical standards, policy development and risk management.

Cooperation, in turn, means enhancing policy coordination and sharing experience to seek common solutions in areas such as AI governance, energy, food, transportation, human resources and sustainable development. It also means enabling economies to share the opportunities created by technological advances and jointly address the challenges posed by emerging technologies.

APEC is not a mechanism for establishing globally binding rules. Its cooperation is based on voluntary participation and consensus. However, as a cooperation platform that brings together economies with enormous economic weight and connects major markets, APEC can influence business investment decisions, regional supply chain arrangements and expectations for international economic cooperation through the consensus and cooperation priorities it develops on trade, investment and emerging economic issues.

These developments also matter to economies outside APEC. The 2026 APEC meeting is not only an important occasion for Asia-Pacific economies to deepen regional cooperation, but also an opportunity to observe the direction of the global economy. Countries and economies may follow different development paths and have different economic conditions, but their interests are closely interconnected and their development prospects are increasingly intertwined.

In addressing global challenges, only through openness, cooperation and mutual benefit can economies continue to expand opportunities for common development. The openness, innovation and collaboration explored through Asia-Pacific cooperation matter not only to the prosperity of the region itself, but also offer practical pathways toward building a community with a shared future for humanity and promoting a more stable, inclusive and sustainable global economy.