Opinion｜Understanding APEC Gyeongju Summit through four key moments

The 32nd Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders' Meeting, themed "Building a Sustainable Tomorrow: Connect, Innovate, Prosper", opens in Gyeongju, Republic of Korea (ROK), on 31 October. The meeting has again highlighted regional cooperation. On Thursday, Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in Busan to attend the 32nd APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting and pay a state visit to South Korea.

In an interview with China Youth Daily, Liu Chenyang, Director of APEC Study Center of Nankai University, analyzed Xi's visit to South Korea, highlighting four key moments.

Firstly, this year marks South Korea's return to hosting the APEC Summit after a 20-year absence. The newly established Lee Jae-myung administration, which has been in power since June, has positioned the Gyeongju Summit as its first major multilateral diplomatic event and has invested substantially in preparations. According to the Yonhap News Agency, the police in Gyeongju have increased security measures to the highest level. Over 19,000 police officers, including riot police and special forces, will be deployed across Gyeongju daily during the summit.

Liu analyzed that the current geopolitical landscape in the Asia-Pacific region is becoming increasingly tense, with trade wars and tariff conflicts causing severe disruption to the international economic order. This has dealt a significant blow to APEC's trade and investment cooperation, as well as to the regional economic integration process in the Asia-Pacific. Faced with multiple challenges, the APEC Gyeongju Summit must urgently consolidate consensus among its members, eliminate disruptive factors, and continue to advance practical cooperation, in order to uphold its status as the primary channel for regional economic cooperation in the Asia-Pacific.

Secondly, this year marks the fifth anniversary of the adoption of the APEC Putrajaya Vision 2040. All parties must use this milestone to build momentum for creating an Asia-Pacific community. A South Korean media article stated that the success of this year's APEC Summit hinges on its ability to champion free trade, underscoring its significance.

Thirdly, as the host of the 2026 APEC Summit, China will hand over the baton to South Korea at the Gyeongju Summit. Liu stated that, as the largest developing country among APEC members, China has consistently demonstrated a strong sense of responsibility in safeguarding and promoting regional cooperation within the Asia-Pacific. Its influence and leadership role within APEC continue to grow. The international community anticipates that further Chinese proposals and solutions will breathe new life into Asia-Pacific cooperation and create new opportunities.

In terms of bilateral relations, this visit marks several significant milestones: it is the first state visit to South Korea by a Chinese head of state in 11 years and the first summit between the two countries' leaders since President Lee Jae-myung took office. This visit is of great importance in positively guiding the development of China-South Korea relations, advancing regional cooperation in Northeast Asia, and strengthening coordination and collaboration within the APEC framework. It vividly embodies China's neighbourhood diplomacy philosophy of amity, sincerity, mutual benefit and inclusiveness. (By Ma Ziqian/China Youth Daily)