This photo taken on July 23, 2026 shows a themed installation of the 2026 APEC Digital and AI Ministerial Meeting in Chengdu, Southwest China's Sichuan province. [Photo/Xinhua]
Member economies of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation have for the first time embraced the expanding role of data, reaching a consensus that it should be viewed not merely as a product of digitalization, but as an important resource for economic growth.
The consensus was reached at a high-level roundtable on "Data for Growth" during the APEC Digital Week 2026 in Chengdu, Sichuan province, where APEC member economies issued a chair's statement outlining priorities for deeper regional cooperation on data.
The move comes as China vows to go beyond regulating data to using data for greater innovation and economic growth.
In reaching the consensus, the APEC member economies called for a more open and enabling environment for data development, wider use of data-driven innovation and stronger connectivity and cooperation among APEC economies.
