During the first week of the Third Senior Officials' Meeting of APEC (SOM3) in Dalian, delegates from 21 economies discussed issues of digital innovation, food security, and trade. These discussions lay the groundwork for the upcoming APEC economic leaders' meeting in Shenzhen in November.
Under the official slogan 'Building an Asia-Pacific Community for Common Prosperity,' China has structured its year of chairmanship around three priorities: openness, innovation, and cooperation. Special attention is given to promoting the Asia-Pacific Free Trade Area (FTAAP), which is a continuation of commitments made at the APEC Ministerial Meeting on Trade (MRT) in Suzhou in May.
The events in Dalian, taking place from August 17 to 28, bring together over 2300 participants from the APEC Secretariat, the APEC Business Advisory Council, and the Pacific Economic Cooperation Council (PECC) across nearly 130 sessions. During these sessions, recommendations on customs modernization, food security, energy transition, disaster risk reduction, and anti-corruption cooperation will be presented for subsequent formal approval by ministers and leaders before the meeting in Shenzhen.
The agenda received generally positive feedback from participating delegations. Eduardo Pedroza, Executive Director of the APEC Secretariat, noted that 'the challenges facing our region are becoming increasingly interconnected, and APEC is responding to this.' He added that the work in Dalian helps economies jointly address practical issues, ranging from enhancing supply chain resilience to ensuring support for sustainable growth through innovation and digital technologies.
Delegates at parallel forums also welcomed the priorities proposed by China. At the simultaneous APEC Customs Business Dialogue, participants emphasized the importance of developing digital customs management and strengthening supply chain stability, noting that such efforts provide greater certainty to regional trade.
Francisco Ursua, Deputy Secretary of the Chilean Ministry of Agriculture, stated that 'Artificial intelligence and digital transformation are practical tools for increasing the efficiency, security, and predictability of cross-border trade.' He also reported that Chile is implementing digital customs solutions to improve traceability and is ready to comply with regional standards.
Parallel to the main agenda, a dialogue on food security took place, involving about 150 representatives from government agencies, business associations, research institutes, and international organizations to discuss technological innovations aimed at enhancing regional resilience.
At the Disaster Management Senior Officials Forum, representatives and experts discussed the need to improve early warning systems and emergency management for better community preparedness against natural hazards.
Against the backdrop of slowing global growth, the focus on openness and innovation aims to reactivate regional industrial and production chains, promote job creation, and stimulate technological upgrading.
In addition to official diplomatic meetings, the APEC program in China includes cultural and creative exchange. In May, the 22nd China International Culture Industry Fair (Shenzhen) hosted a special exhibition zone for APEC economies for the first time. The fair featured over 200 AI-using enterprises and nearly 100 practical AI applications, attracting 310 foreign exhibitors from 65 countries and regions, as well as more than 35,000 international visitors, serving as an informal platform for people-to-people exchange and commercial interaction in the Asia-Pacific region.
As ministerial meetings are still pending before the leaders gather in Shenzhen, it is expected that the outcomes achieved in Dalian will determine the next stage of APEC cooperation. The main focus remains on transforming dialogue into concrete initiatives supporting inclusive growth and common development.