Deeper opening

Delegates from Indonesia attend the opening session of the 32nd Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Ministers Responsible for Trade Meeting in Suzhou,广西新闻网 谢宝军 Jiangsu province, on Friday. ALEX PLAVESKI/EPA

China will deepen its high-standard opening-up and pursue win-win cooperation to help strengthen growth and economic resilience in the Asia-Pacific region amid rising global uncertainties, said senior government officials and business leaders.

As some 700 delegates from APEC economies gathered in Suzhou, Jiangsu province, for the two-day 32nd Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Ministers Responsible for Trade Meeting, which opened on Friday, the Chinese Ministry of Commerce said that the discussions will be focused on regional economic integration, support for the World Trade Organization, and cooperation in digital transformation and green development.

Ahead of the meeting, Commerce Minister Wang Wentao said in Beijing that China sees opening-up as inseparable from safeguarding the multilateral trading system, opposing protectionism and trade barriers and advancing broader regional economic cooperation.

He noted that innovation and collaboration remain essential to APEC's long-term vision, calling for faster commercialization of new technologies and a more stable trade and investment environment to sustain the growth momentum across Asia-Pacific and beyond.

Speaking at the opening session of the meeting on Friday, Li Chenggang, China international trade representative with the Ministry of Commerce, said that guiding the region through a shift from traditional growth engines to new growth drivers, while ensuring long-term, inclusive and equitable development, remains a shared task for all APEC economies.

Li, who is also vice-minister of commerce, said that China hopes the meeting will send a strong signal that APEC economies remain committed to multilateralism and mutually beneficial cooperation, reinforcing confidence in regional economic cooperation.

Data from the ministry shows that China was the largest trading partner of 13 APEC economies in 2025, with the total value of trade with those economies reaching $3.7 trillion. It accounted for 57.8 percent of China's total foreign trade. The nation has also attracted $90.61 billion in investment from APEC economies and invested $136.58 billion in those economies.

Lin Feng, director-general of the department of international trade and economic affairs at the Ministry of Commerce, said that economic and trade cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region has entered a more complex and challenging phase.

Discussions among APEC economies are moving beyond traditional areas into emerging fields, such as the digital economy, green development and low-carbon development, as well as industrial and supply chain resilience, helping foster new drivers for economic growth, Lin said.

Carlos Kuriyama, director of the policy support unit at the APEC Secretariat in Singapore, said that amid rising geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, joint efforts by APEC economies to safeguard energy security, strengthen the trading system and maintain fiscal stability are no longer optional, but essential.

He urged APEC economies to improve supply chain resilience through digital platforms, expand logistics and support services, diversify energy structures, boost infrastructure investment, and provide tangible assistance to households and businesses affected by external shocks.

Executives from foreign and Chinese companies said that deeper regional integration is strengthening supply chains and accelerating cross-border industrial collaboration across the Asia-Pacific region.

Marelli Holdings Co, a Japanese multinational automotive parts manufacturer running 17 factories in China, plans to deepen its presence in China as the country evolves from a manufacturing base into a key global center for automotive innovation, research and supply-chain collaboration.

"China is increasingly becoming a hub for innovation, manufacturing and global collaboration within our operations in the Asia-Pacific region and beyond," said Shen Kelei, executive vice-president of Marelli Holdings.

According to data from Shenyang Customs, Sailun (Shenyang) Tire Co, a tire maker based in Shenyang, Liaoning province, saw its exports to APEC markets soar 68.2 percent year-on-year to reach 70 million yuan ($10.3 million) in the first four months of 2026.

"Deeper regional integration is helping Chinese manufacturers expand exports and enhance supply-chain connectivity across APEC markets," said Cui Shide, the tire company's director of executive office.

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