China will host the 2026 APEC Digital and AI Ministerial Meeting in Chengdu, Sichuan province, on July 23. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]
China will host the 2026 APEC Digital and AI Ministerial Meeting in Chengdu, Sichuan province, on July 23, bringing together ministers from the Asia-Pacific's 21 economies as artificial intelligence emerges as a key driver of regional economic growth and digital cooperation.
According to China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the meeting — part of China's 2026 host year for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum — will be held under the theme "Digital and AI Technologies Empowering the Asia-Pacific Community".
Ministers are expected to discuss three key topics: leveraging digital and AI technologies for economic development, promoting universal and meaningful digital connectivity, and advancing digital inclusion and digital skills across the region.
More than 30 companies have registered to participate in the accompanying exhibitions and forums, including Meta Platforms, Google, Microsoft, Panasonic, Tencent, ZTE, Baidu, and Chinese robotics startup X Square Robot.
