Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation
APEC
Twenty-one member economies around the Pacific rim, bound by nothing more than voluntary commitment — and responsible for a substantial share of world trade.
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“The more we connected and opened to one another, the further APEC members advanced on the path to shared prosperity. … Cooperation and solidarity are the surest way forward toward a better future.”
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All analysis →What APEC is
APEC was founded in 1989 to knit together the economies of the Pacific rim. It is deliberately the loosest of the major forums: members are described as economies rather than countries, precisely so that Hong Kong, China and Chinese Taipei can all sit at the table without the membership becoming a question of statehood.
Nothing APEC agrees is binding. Commitments are voluntary and progress is assessed by peer review rather than enforcement. That sounds weak, and in a narrow legal sense it is. What it buys is participation: economies that would never accept a treaty obligation will accept a target they have set themselves, and over three decades that has produced substantial reductions in tariffs and behind-the-border barriers across the region.
The annual Economic Leaders' Meeting is accompanied by the APEC CEO Summit, which is where much of the commercial business of the week is actually done.
2026 host economy
APEC China — Shenzhen 2026
China hosts APEC 2026, with the 33rd Economic Leaders' Meeting in Shenzhen on November 18–19, 2026, accompanied by the APEC CEO Summit and the joint ministerial meeting of foreign and trade ministers.
The host year runs under the theme “Building an Asia-Pacific Community to Prosper Together.”
The twenty-one member economies
Australia · Brunei Darussalam · Canada · Chile · China · Hong Kong, China · Indonesia · Japan · Republic of Korea · Malaysia · Mexico · New Zealand · Papua New Guinea · Peru · the Philippines · Russia · Singapore · Chinese Taipei · Thailand · the United States · Viet Nam.
Recent host economies
| Year | Host economy | Leaders' meeting |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | United States | San Francisco |
| 2024 | Peru | Lima |
| 2025 | Republic of Korea | Gyeongju |
| 2026 | China | Shenzhen, November 18–19 |
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Companies in the APEC record
Group of Nations has published APEC titles across successive host years, including the APEC Leaders & CEO Summit review featuring COP26, and the APEC-ABAC Chile report.
“It has never been more important to work on building greater resilience for our businesses, better living standards for our communities, and a sustainable future … only by collaborating will we successfully navigate through an increasingly fragmented and fractious operating environment.”
APEC 2026 questions
When and where is APEC 2026?
China hosts APEC 2026. The APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting takes place in Shenzhen on November 18 and 19, 2026, during APEC Leaders' Week, alongside the APEC CEO Summit.
Who hosts APEC in 2027?
Vietnam hosts APEC in 2027. Recent hosts were Korea (Gyeongju, 2025), Peru (2024) and the United States (San Francisco, 2023).
What is the APEC Business Advisory Council?
The APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC) is the business voice of APEC. It presents recommendations to APEC leaders each year on trade, supply chains, the digital economy and SMEs.
What is on the APEC agenda?
APEC's 21 member economies work toward the Putrajaya Vision 2040 and a Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific (FTAAP), with ministers meetings on trade, paperless trade, the digital economy, tourism, and women and the economy.
Does Group of Nations publish an APEC publication?
Yes. Group of Nations has published APEC reviews since 2011, including the official APEC review for the United States in 2011 and the 2021 APEC Global Briefing Report Review. They are free to read on our publications page.
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