The Zhitong Finance App learned that the 33rd Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Finance Ministers Meeting will be held from October 20 to 21 in Hong Kong, China. Finance ministers or their representatives from 21 APEC economies, heads of relevant international organizations, and senior partner representatives will attend the conference. Recently, in an interview with reporters, a relevant Ministry of Finance official said that around the APEC “China Year” theme and the three priority areas, China proposed four key financial channel topics: fiscal policies to support people's livelihood development, digital infrastructure financing, promoting inclusive finance development according to local conditions, and promoting exchanges and cooperation among young APEC financial talents. These topics are both current and long-term. At present, all economies are generally facing the task of steady growth, risk prevention, and protecting people's livelihood. There is an urgent need to strengthen macroeconomic policy communication and coordination and adopt appropriate fiscal and financial policies to better support innovation and inclusive development. At the same time, the accelerated development of new technologies such as digitalization and artificial intelligence not only brings new digital infrastructure investment and financing needs, but also highlights the importance of strengthening the exchange and mutual learning of young financial talents and enhancing future policy formulation capabilities.
A relevant person in charge of the Ministry of Finance also said that the APEC Finance Ministers Meeting is one of the most important professional ministerial meetings under the APEC mechanism and is an important platform for Asia-Pacific economies to strengthen macroeconomic policy communication and financial cooperation. The Finance Ministers Meeting will accumulate financial results for the APEC Informal Leaders' Meeting to be held in Shenzhen in November. China is ready to work with APEC economies to continue to adhere to multilateralism, deepen macroeconomic policy communication and coordination, maintain the stability and smooth flow of the regional industrial chain supply chain, jointly promote the long-term sustainable growth of the Asia-Pacific economy, and help build the Asia-Pacific community.
The original text is as follows:
2026 APEC Finance Ministers Meeting Visited Relevant Ministry of Finance Officials
The 33rd Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Finance Ministers Meeting will be held from October 20 to 21 in Hong Kong, China. Finance ministers or their representatives from 21 APEC economies, heads of relevant international organizations, and senior partner representatives will attend the conference. China's Minister of Finance Lan Foan will lead the Chinese delegation to attend and preside over the conference. Vice Minister Liao Min will speak on behalf of the Chinese side. Recently, relevant officials from the Ministry of Finance were interviewed by reporters on the background, significance, main topics, and expected results of the current Finance Ministers meeting.
1. In what context is this APEC Finance Ministers Meeting being held? What is the significance of hosting this conference?
This year marks the third time that China has hosted APEC. 12 years have passed since the last time. President Xi Jinping pointed out that we should stick to the original purpose of APEC to promote economic growth and enhance people's welfare, insist on sharing opportunities and achieving a win-win situation in open development, promote inclusive economic globalization, and build an Asia-Pacific community. China has designated “Building the Asia-Pacific Community and Promoting Common Prosperity” as the APEC “China Year” theme, and is advancing the annual agenda around the three priority areas of “openness, innovation, and cooperation.”
Currently, 100 years of changes in the world are evolving at an accelerated pace, the international situation is becoming chaotic and intertwined, and the instability and uncertainties facing the development of the Asia-Pacific region are increasing. At the same time, a new round of technological revolution and industrial transformation represented by artificial intelligence is advancing at an accelerated pace, bringing new opportunities for innovation development and productivity improvement. The Asia-Pacific region has become the most dynamic sector of the global economy and the main growth engine. One important reason is that it insists on open cooperation, mutual benefit and win-win situation. The more complex and severe the external environment, the more it is necessary for all economies to strengthen policy communication, deepen practical cooperation, and jointly maintain regional economic and financial stability and development.
The APEC Finance Ministers Meeting is one of the most important professional ministerial meetings under the APEC mechanism. It is an important platform for Asia-Pacific economies to strengthen macroeconomic policy communication and financial cooperation. The Finance Ministers Meeting will accumulate financial results for the APEC Informal Leaders' Meeting to be held in Shenzhen in November. China is ready to work with APEC economies to continue to adhere to multilateralism, deepen macroeconomic policy communication and coordination, maintain the stability and smooth flow of the regional industrial chain supply chain, jointly promote the long-term sustainable growth of the Asia-Pacific economy, and help build the Asia-Pacific community.
2. What topics will the current APEC Finance Ministers Meeting focus on? What are China's expectations for the outcome of this APEC Finance Ministers Meeting?
Focusing on the APEC “China Year” theme and the three priority areas, in line with the current new situation facing the Asia-Pacific economy, we proposed four key financial channel topics: fiscal policies to support people's livelihood development, digital infrastructure financing, promoting inclusive finance development according to local conditions, and promoting exchanges and cooperation among young APEC financial talents.
These topics are both current and long-term. At present, all economies are generally facing the task of steady growth, risk prevention, and protecting people's livelihood. There is an urgent need to strengthen macroeconomic policy communication and coordination and adopt appropriate fiscal and financial policies to better support innovation and inclusive development. At the same time, the accelerated development of new technologies such as digitalization and artificial intelligence not only brings new digital infrastructure investment and financing needs, but also highlights the importance of strengthening the exchange and mutual learning of young financial talents and enhancing future policy formulation capabilities.
Since this year, APEC finance channels have successively held APEC finance and central bank deputies meetings, APEC senior finance officials meetings, and seminars on topics such as inclusive finance and digital infrastructure. The parties had in-depth exchanges on the global and regional macroeconomic and financial situation and related key topics, and formed a series of agreements, which laid a good foundation for the finance ministers meeting. The APEC Young Financial Talent Exchange and Cooperation Program launched by the Chinese side this year was implemented by the Asia Pacific Institute of Finance and Development in late August. More than 30 young financial talents from 18 APEC economies participated in the project. Everyone carried out on-site visits, special discussions and experience sharing in Shanghai and Guangxi, respectively, on the theme of “Digital Innovation to Promote Asia-Pacific Economic Development and Growth”, which was a complete success and was highly praised by participants.
At the upcoming finance ministers meeting, representatives from various economies will have a further in-depth exchange of views and form consensus documents and relevant results on key topics, including the Finance Ministers Statement, the Asia-Pacific region's fiscal policy report to support people's livelihood development, a digital infrastructure financing policy statement, a collection of examples of financial inclusion innovation practices, and continuing exchanges and cooperation among young financial talents. We hope that through these results, we will summarize the beneficial experiences of all parties, promote policy exchanges and experience sharing, and provide support for deepening financial cooperation and supporting Asia-Pacific economic growth in the future.
3. What important events will be held during this APEC Finance Ministers Meeting?
In addition to the official meeting of the Finance Ministers, we have also arranged a series of exchange activities. On the morning of October 20, a closed meeting of finance ministers will be held, focusing on informal discussions on “Promoting Asia-Pacific Economic Growth in a Changing World”; a working luncheon between finance ministers and representatives of the Asia-Pacific business community will be held at noon, focusing on suggestions from business representatives on mobilizing private capital and supporting digital infrastructure financing; and the opening ceremony of the finance ministers meeting will be held in the afternoon and the official agenda will be held. On the morning of October 21, a press conference will also be held after the conference has concluded.
After the conference, we also arranged a variety of visiting activities so that participants could experience Hong Kong's unique cityscape and cultural landscape up close. Hong Kong is the host of this finance ministers meeting. As an internationally renowned financial center and tourist city, it will fully showcase the development achievements and charm of the city in recent years, and invite everyone to experience the diverse and exciting development opportunities of this Asian international city.
This article was selected from the “Ministry of Finance” official website, Zhitong Finance Editor: Feng Qiuyi.