Local officials confirmed that Shenzhen is fully prepared to host the 33rd meeting of APEC economic leaders, which will take place on November 18 and 19.
Organizers have carried out a series of activities to prepare for the event: they modernized key venues, conducted rehearsals, and integrated principles of environmental friendliness, digital technology, and traditional Linnan culture into the event. This was reported by Wang Xi, deputy head of the provincial preparatory leading group.
To ensure convenience for delegates visiting the city in Guangdong province in southern China, specialized expedited services have been organized at nine maritime, land, air, and rail ports. Additionally, over 100,000 characters in foreign languages and more than 7,000 artificial intelligence-based translation devices have been installed in key locations.
Taxis in the city will feature bilingual signage, the metro will accept contactless cards from foreign banks, and over 3,000 ATMs will be ready to dispense cash using foreign cards.
Furthermore, currency exchange will be available at about 1,600 bank branches, and tax refunds will be accessible at 3,160 stores, more than a thousand of which offer instant refunds.
During the week of the meeting, Guangdong province will offer 218 tourist attractions and 43 travel routes, including two demonstration routes in Shenzhen.
Shenzhen Mayor Li Yun stated that the city has strengthened its transportation infrastructure, power supply, communication, and hotel services while minimizing inconveniences for residents' daily lives.
Parallel to the preparations for APEC, the city's economy is demonstrating rapid growth. Shenzhen has become the first city on mainland China whose foreign trade volume exceeded 5 trillion yuan (approximately 744.6 billion US dollars). According to customs data, imports and exports reached 5.25 trillion yuan in the first ten months of the current year, representing a 40.9% increase compared to the same period last year.
Moreover, exports increased by 19.7% to 2.71 trillion yuan, while imports sharply rose by 73.7% to 2.54 trillion yuan.
