Senior officials and delegates attending the third Senior Officials’ Meeting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) convened this week in Dalian, Liaoning province, underscored the need for enhanced collaboration on artificial intelligence (AI), free trade, and regional economic integration. The session is a key part of the preparations for the upcoming APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting scheduled for November in Shenzhen, Guangdong province.
At the opening ceremony on Thursday, Vice-Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu described the Dalian meeting as the largest among the three senior officials’ gatherings during the APEC “China Year,” featuring the widest range of activities. The meeting aims to assess progress, deepen cooperation, and lay the groundwork for the leaders’ summit.
Ma highlighted the challenging global economic environment marked by geopolitical tensions and uncertainties, alongside rapidly advancing AI and other emerging technologies that present new avenues for economic growth. He emphasized the Asia-Pacific region’s responsibility as both a pillar of global stability and a driver of growth, pledging that China will work with member economies to elevate regional economic cooperation and contribute to global recovery.
As the host economy, China intends to prioritize building an Asia-Pacific community by securing breakthroughs in trade liberalization, connectivity, innovation, and inclusive development. Ma noted that the forthcoming Shenzhen Declaration, expected to be a major outcome of the November summit, is currently in draft form and aims to deliver new commitments on the Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific (FTAAP), digital economy, AI, and regional connectivity.
Ma further stressed the importance of addressing the growth challenges faced by developing economies in the region through enhanced economic and technical cooperation, capacity building, and practical measures.
Peru’s APEC senior official, Marco Balarezo, praised China’s leadership as host, describing its agenda on AI and FTAAP as comprehensive and the Dalian meeting as a critical step in advancing preparations for the leaders’ meeting. Similarly, Mexico’s APEC senior official, Jose Alberto Guadarrama Grimaldo, noted that all 21 member economies are working collaboratively toward substantive outcomes in Shenzhen, focusing on accelerating regional economic integration and digitalization. He pointed out the potential of AI to facilitate trade through improved customs procedures and paperless processes.
James Ding, chair of the APEC Economic Committee, expressed optimism about the progress under the “China Year,” citing China’s prominent role in developing and applying AI technologies. He revealed that the committee is compiling a report to explore how AI can drive digital transformation and structural reforms across APEC member economies, with related initiatives expected to be unveiled at the leaders’ meeting.
Nicolas Mialhe, board member of the France-Pacific Territories Economic Cooperation Committee, observed that China’s AI capabilities and status as APEC host could propel regional cooperation to new heights. He noted that Chinese AI models are already in use globally and highlighted the increasingly complex balance of opportunities and risks associated with AI, underscoring the need for multilateral cooperation given the technology’s borderless nature. Mialhe called for the establishment of shared classification systems, terminology, and governance protocols for AI, alongside strengthened capacity building across economies at various development stages.
He added that considering the Asia-Pacific’s dominant role in trade, innovation, and the emerging global AI value chain, such collaboration is poised to deliver benefits extending beyond the region.