Shenzhen, China’s southern tech hub, is in the last stretch before the APEC leaders’ meeting: organisers of the summit’s business forum said on Oct. 31 that preparations have entered their final stage. APEC, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum, is a club of 21 Pacific-rim economies that includes the United States and China.
The leaders gather on Nov. 18-19, 17 days from now. This weekend, the top US diplomat floated a possible leaders’ encounter there.
Published Sunday, Nov. 1, 2:40 a.m. EST (3:40 p.m. in Shenzhen) · Source: Shenzhen municipal government, China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, US Secretary of State
Key Facts
- When: Leaders meet Nov. 18-19 in Shenzhen; a business forum, the CEO Summit, runs Nov. 17-18.
- Host: China hosts APEC for the third time, after 2001 and 2014.
- Time: Shenzhen is 13 hours ahead of US Eastern Time on Nov. 18.
- Unknown: Whether US and Russian leaders will meet; Rubio called it only an opportunity.
Final Preparations Are Under Way
The China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, which hosts the CEO Summit, said on Oct. 31 that its preparations have entered the final stage. The 33rd APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting takes place in Shenzhen, in Guangdong, China’s southern manufacturing province, under the theme “Building an Asia-Pacific Community to Prosper Together.”
The official APEC calendar lists the Concluding Senior Officials’ Meeting, the working-level gathering that settles the paperwork, on Nov. 14-15. The CEO Summit follows on Nov. 17-18, then the leaders’ meeting on Nov. 18-19.
Who Hosts The Business Summit
The China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, a state-backed trade promotion body, hosts the CEO Summit. It expects about 1,000 government and business representatives from APEC economies.
Planned topics include the Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific, a long-discussed regional trade-pact idea, connectivity, artificial intelligence, the digital economy and sustainable development. The CEO Summit’s own theme is “Promoting Prosperity Together for a Win-Win Future.”
Will Washington And Moscow Meet?
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Saturday, Oct. 31, that he briefly discussed with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov “the opportunity for our leaders to potentially interact at APEC next month.” The talk took place on the sidelines of the G20 foreign ministers’ meeting in Atlanta and was not a formal meeting.
The possibility is all it is: a bilateral meeting has not been scheduled or confirmed.
What To Watch
The next fixed dates are Nov. 14-15, Nov. 17-18 and Nov. 18-19. Any formal confirmation of a US-Russian leaders’ encounter would be the first real signal of how the summit is shaping up.
Trade, tariffs and regional supply chains are the usual business at APEC, so US companies should watch for a leaders’ declaration at the close.
What It Means for US Readers
For US investors and companies with China exposure, APEC is where trade and supply-chain signals from 21 economies appear in one place. Each economy’s leaders’ attendance is still to be confirmed.
Shenzhen is on China Standard Time, UTC+8, which is 13 hours ahead of US Eastern Time on Nov. 18. A morning session there on Nov. 18 begins on the evening of Nov. 17 in New York.
What Is Not Known
We found no official opening time or daily agenda for the leaders’ meeting. No joint statement or other outcome has been announced.
Whether a US-Russian leaders’ encounter happens remains unconfirmed. Rubio’s remarks establish only that officials discussed the idea.
Frequently Asked Questions
When and where is the 2026 APEC leaders’ meeting?
It takes place in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China, on Nov. 18-19, 2026. China hosts APEC for the third time.
What events surround the leaders’ meeting?
The Concluding Senior Officials’ Meeting runs Nov. 14-15 and the CEO Summit Nov. 17-18, both in Shenzhen. About 1,000 government and business representatives are expected at the CEO Summit.
Has any world leader confirmed attendance?
Rubio said he and Lavrov briefly discussed a possible US-Russian leaders’ interaction at APEC, but nothing is confirmed. Attendance by individual leaders is still to be announced.
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated newsroom system. How we use AI · Report an error · Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief