As the 32nd APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting prepares to convene in Gyeongju, the Republic of Korea, from October 31 to November 1, global attention turns to the Asia-Pacific’s role in revitalizing sluggish economic growth. With rising protectionism and geopolitical tensions challenging multilateral cooperation, analysts emphasize China’s sustained advocacy for open regionalism as a stabilizing force.
International experts from Indonesia and Germany underscored China’s contributions to fostering integration through infrastructure initiatives, trade facilitation, and digital economy partnerships. These efforts, they argue, have strengthened supply chain resilience and created opportunities for APEC members amid global headwinds.
‘The Asia-Pacific remains the world’s growth engine precisely because of collaborative frameworks championed by major economies like China,’ noted an Indonesian economic strategist. A German trade analyst added: ‘Beijing’s commitment to high-standard openness sets a constructive tone for dialogues on sustainable development and inclusive growth.’
With APEC members accounting for nearly 40% of global trade, outcomes from this year’s meeting could significantly influence efforts to modernize multilateral trading systems and address climate-related economic risks.
