The background of the "APEC China Year—Greater Bay Area Academic Roundtable" on April 17, 2026 in Shenzhen
The "APEC China Year—Greater Bay Area Academic Roundtable" was held in Shenzhen on April 17 to offer insights for national strategies and Asia-Pacific regional governance in the new era.
Co-organized by the Centre on Contemporary China and the World (CCCW) at the University of Hong Kong and the Institute for International Affairs (IIA) at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, the event brought together experts and scholars to discuss core topics such as Asia-Pacific economic cooperation and inclusive growth in the region.
In his welcoming remark, Zheng Yongnian, Director of the IIA, noted that this roundtable comes at a time when the host city Shenzhen is preparing for the APEC meeting in full swing. "We are precisely doing the right thing at the right time and in the right place."
Zheng Yongnian delivers his welcome remark at the roundtable in Shenzhen on April 17, 2026.
He projected that the Asia-Pacific region, as the world's economic hub, will not change for the next two or three decades. Zheng then proposed that China should strengthen Asia-Pacific economic cooperation to counter the geopolitical concept of the "Indo-Pacific."
"Donald Trump's interest in APEC is noteworthy, and China should seize the opportunity to promote a framework for China–US relations based on economic and trade cooperation," he noted, as he believed that the Chinese and US economies are highly complementary.
During the interview with South, Li Cheng, Founding Director of the CCCW, voiced that his institution aspired to organize more events to promote mutual understanding among 21 APEC economies through people-to-people exchanges and academic policy, creating a platform for dialogue in the APEC "China Year."
"This is what we aim to do—to bring about positive changes in the holistic situation via exchange and dialogue among young people and think tanks," he noted.
Li underlined that these 21 economies are extremely critical. Mutual understanding among them would help the world understand China and encourage more people to visit the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA).
Li Cheng delivers his welcome remark at the roundtable in Shenzhen on April 17, 2026.
Notably, Li underscored Hong Kong's unique position as a super-connector, China's financial center, and the hub of well-educated talents. Five of Hong Kong's universities have been ranked among the top 100 globally for a couple of years.
Li stated that Hong Kong is important in the development of the GBA, while simultaneously benefiting from the Chinese mainland's overall foundation. The vitality of Hong Kong demonstrates its strengths and advantages.
"After seeing these developments in the GBA, they will realize that it is not only at the forefront of China's development, but also a major driving force for global development," he added.
During the topic "High-Level Opening-up Amidst Global Geopolitical Shifts," Le Yucheng, former Vice Foreign Minister of China, pointed out that looking ahead to the APEC "China Year," deepening Asia-Pacific cooperation requires efforts in three dimensions.
First, break down barriers through openness to promote rule convergence and the building of the Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific.
Second, add momentum through innovation, leveraging pioneering zones such as Shenzhen to lead the way in ethical governance of artificial intelligence and the sharing of digital dividends.
Third, build a highly resilient regional industrial chain and accelerate green and low-carbon transformation based on cooperation.
In the second topic "Build the Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific for Inclusive Growth," Yi Xiaozhun, former Deputy Director-General of the World Trade Organization and former Vice Minister of Commerce of China, reviewed the development of APEC over the past three decades.
He pointed out that given the current geopolitical pressure and the undercurrent of anti-globalization, it is urgent to continue to leverage the role of APEC in regional economic cooperation to offset the risks of decoupling, supply chain disruption, and economic fragmentation.
Reporter: Zhang Ruijun
Photo: South
