HONG KONG – The government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region has welcomed the central government’s decision to hold the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Finance Ministers' Meeting in the city in October next year.
The decision to hold the APEC finance ministers’ meeting for the first time in the SAR came on Friday as China, as the host of APEC 2026, unveiled the schedule for a series of gatherings for the bloc throughout 2026.
The 33rd APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting will be held in Shenzhen on Nov 18 and 19 next year, accompanied by the APEC CEO Summit and the joint ministerial meeting of foreign and trade ministers.
“The HKSAR government will spare no effort in making comprehensive and meticulous preparations to support our country in successfully hosting APEC 2026,” Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu said in a statement, expressing gratitude for the central government's trust and support.
The finance ministers’ meeting, to be held in Hong Kong, will be hosted by the Ministry of Finance and arranged and organized by the HKSAR government.
The secretary for financial services and the treasury will lead a dedicated task force to coordinate relevant planning and preparatory work.
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Lee said the HKSAR government will leverage the city’s experience and strengths as an international financial center to ensure the successful organization of the finance ministers’ meeting.
“Hong Kong will also seize this opportunity to deepen international exchanges and co-operation, better integrating into and serving the overall national development,” he added.
Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po has also thanked the country for choosing Hong Kong to hold the ministers’ meeting.
“This not only allows us to showcase Hong Kong's comprehensive development in the economic, financial and social dimensions to participating economies and the international community but also helps deepen our collaboration with other APEC member economies, thereby fully demonstrating Hong Kong's role as a 'super connector'," he said.
As the host of APEC 2026, China will be responsible for preparing for and chairing the APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting, as well as a series of ministerial and other meetings in 2026.
Heads of finance departments of APEC member economies and representatives of relevant international organizations will gather in Hong Kong for the finance ministers’ meeting.
This will allow them to experience the unique charm of the city as an international metropolis and its advantages of enjoying strong support of the motherland while being closely connected to the world, thereby helping to tell good stories of the country and Hong Kong, said the SAR government.
Preparation for APEC meeting
During the 2026 APEC "China Year," approximately 300 events are expected to take place across multiple cities in China, Guo Jiakun, spokesperson for China’s Foreign Ministry, said while responding to a relevant query at a press briefing in Beijing on Friday.
Senior Officials' Meetings will be held in Guangzhou, Shanghai and Dalian in February, May and August next year, respectively.
Starting from May next year, about 10 sectoral ministerial meetings or high-level events will take place in different locations, covering areas such as trade, digital economy, transportation, tourism, human resources, small and medium-sized enterprises, energy, food security, finance and women's affairs, he said.
All parties have expressed their active support for China's year-round event arrangements and are willing to ensure fruitful outcomes from these activities, added Guo.
With Xinhua inputs
