By Sharachchandra Bhandary in Shenzhen
Kathmandu, September 2: China is convening a high-level Asia-Pacific Media Forum in Shenzhen from September 3 to 5, bringing together leaders of mainstream media organizations, government officials, diplomats, think tank experts and business executives from APEC economies ahead of the 33rd APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting scheduled for November.
As the Executive Editor of the National News Agency of Nepal, this scribe is honoured to lead a three-member Nepali media delegation to the Forum.
Hosted by Xinhua News Agency in collaboration with its partners, the forum is one of the major events being organized during the APEC “China Year” 2026. China is expected to host around 300 APEC-related meetings and activities throughout the year, underscoring its commitment to promoting regional dialogue, economic cooperation and shared development across the Asia-Pacific.
The forum comes shortly after the conclusion of the third APEC Senior Officials’ Meeting (SOM3) in Dalian, which brought together more than 3,000 participants from APEC member economies, the APEC Secretariat and observers. The meeting featured around 130 meetings and events covering a wide range of areas, including trade, transport, food security and customs cooperation.
The Dalian meeting focused on three key priorities—openness, innovation and cooperation. Policy dialogue on connectivity under the openness agenda laid the groundwork for an upgraded APEC Connectivity Blueprint, while discussions on the digital economy and artificial intelligence under the innovation agenda extended the momentum generated by APEC Digital Week. Practical cooperation in areas including anti-corruption, customs and food security also produced fruitful outcomes under the cooperation agenda.
The final Senior Officials’ Meeting is scheduled to be held ahead of the APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting in Shenzhen in November, as preparations continue for the culmination of the APEC China Year.
The Asia-Pacific Media Forum, themed “Building a Path to Shared Prosperity for the Asia-Pacific Community: Media Consensus and Action,” will examine emerging opportunities for openness, innovation and cooperation, digital transformation, smart technology, green development, media cooperation, mutual learning among civilizations, and Shenzhen’s experience in advancing Chinese modernization.
According to the organizers, the gathering aims to strengthen communication and cooperation among media institutions while encouraging constructive dialogue on issues shaping the future of the Asia-Pacific region. It also seeks to build consensus on promoting sustainable development, regional connectivity and prosperity through responsible and professional journalism.
As part of the programme, participants will visit several cities in Guangdong Province—including Guangzhou, Foshan, Dongguan, Shenzhen, Zhuhai and Zhongshan—to observe China’s achievements in technological innovation, industrial development and urban modernization. A sub-forum will also be held during the visit.
The forum is expected to serve as an important platform for enhancing media cooperation and fostering greater understanding among APEC economies as preparations gather pace for the leaders’ meeting later this year.
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