Shaping Asia-Pacific's future

APEC Beijing will focus on promoting interconnected development and draw up a new blueprint for comprehensive connectivity

The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation will officially open the 22nd APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting in Beijing on Nov 10. Chinese President Xi Jinping and leaders and representatives of the other APEC members will meet in Beijing to discuss the future of APEC and the overall development of the Asia-Pacific region.

This year marks the 25th anniversary of APEC. Twenty-five years ago, 12 economies in the Asia-Pacific jointly announced the inception of APEC. The birth of this new body generated relatively little attention compared with the defining events of the year: the collapse of the Berlin Wall or the end of the Cold War. Yet in the years that have followed, APEC has grown from strength to strength and taken on increasing influence. Today, APEC has evolved into one of the world's premium regional dialogue and cooperation mechanisms, and has a significant and far-reaching relevance to the economic landscape of the Asia-Pacific and beyond.