As Shenzhen prepares to host the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in November, Guangdong province is showcasing its technological advancements to a global audience. Ahead of the event, the province has organized media tours and exhibitions highlighting key local companies and their innovations.
On Saturday, the Asia-Pacific Media Forum brought together journalists and industry leaders in a venue filled with cutting-edge products from the region. Exhibits included electric vehicles from BYD, drones from DJI, artificial intelligence technology from Tencent Holdings, and smartphones from brands such as Honor and Vivo.
In the days leading up to the forum, media representatives participated in two-day visits across six Guangdong cities, touring headquarters and factories of prominent provincial firms. Among these were BYD, the world’s top electric vehicle manufacturer by deliveries, headquartered in eastern Shenzhen; Midea Group, a major electronics appliance maker based in Foshan; and Oppo, a leading smartphone manufacturer located in Dongguan.
During the visit to BYD, the company demonstrated its latest new-energy vehicle technology, charging a Denza Z9GT premium sedan to achieve a range of 700 kilometers within approximately six minutes in subzero temperatures of minus 30 degrees Celsius. Outside the facility, BYD’s Yangwang U9 super-coupe showcased its quad-motor all-wheel-drive system with a complete 360-degree rotation on the spot.
Other companies in the province displayed the smart and digitally connected features embedded in their offerings, reflecting Guangdong’s position as a hub of innovation and manufacturing.
Guangdong Communist Party Secretary Huang Kunming highlighted at the forum that the province’s strategic location near Hong Kong and Macau gives it a unique advantage in engaging with the Asia-Pacific region. He described Guangdong as a “vanguard” in China’s reform and opening-up initiatives.
Official data further underscores Guangdong’s economic significance, with the province’s trade volume with other APEC economies increasing by 21 percent in the first half of the year to nearly 3.6 trillion yuan (roughly HK$4.2 trillion), accounting for 65 percent of its total imports and exports.
Shenzhen is set to become the third Chinese city to host an APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting, following Shanghai in 2001 and Beijing in 2014. The summit is scheduled for November 18 and 19, with city-wide promotional campaigns under slogans such as “Shenzhen in action” and “Let’s gather in Shenzhen for a prosperous Asia-Pacific Region” visible throughout.
The event could also facilitate a high-profile trilateral meeting among Chinese President Xi Jinping, United States President Donald Trump, and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Putin confirmed his attendance several months ago, while Trump’s participation remains unconfirmed, according to Yuri Ushakov, a senior Kremlin foreign policy adviser.