Shenzhen Summit Puts Trump, Putin and Xi on One APEC Stage as Trade, Tech and Taiwan Tensions Loom

Next week, the leaders of the United States, China and Russia are expected in the same hall in Shenzhen, the southern Chinese technology hub, for the summit of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum, known as APEC. The Economic Leaders' Meeting is scheduled for November 18 and 19, preceded by a gathering of chief executives on November 17 and 18.

APEC began in 1989 in Canberra as an informal dialogue among 12 members. It now has 21 and is regarded as the region's main economic forum, aimed at advancing growth, trade and investment. Its members account for about 62% of global GDP and roughly half of global trade. They are described as "member economies" rather than nations, which is how Chinese-ruled Hong Kong and democratically governed Taiwan, which Beijing claims as its own territory, sit at the same table. India, the world's most populous country, is not a member. The forum's commitments are non-binding, made voluntarily and reached strictly by consensus.

This is the third time China has hosted, after Shanghai in 2001 and Beijing in 2014. Chim Lee, a senior analyst at the Economist Intelligence Unit, says both domestic and international considerations shaped the choice of Shenzhen. The city sits next to Hong Kong and belongs to the Greater Bay Area, which also includes Macau and which Beijing wants to build into a global hub for technology and innovation. It offers a stage for China's vision of development and trade. Lee adds that it also signals Shenzhen's resilience amid geopolitical turbulence. The city is home to major Chinese auto and technology companies, including BYD, Huawei and Tencent.

China has said President Xi Jinping will chair the leaders' meeting and deliver remarks. President Donald Trump, President Vladimir Putin and Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. are among those expected. Leaders from Canada, Australia, Mexico and Indonesia are due, as are those of Malaysia, South Korea and Vietnam. Taiwan has named Stan Shih, the founder of Acer, as its envoy. Tokyo has not said formally whether Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi will attend, and New Zealand has not officially confirmed its delegation.

The agenda is shaped by several pressure points. Instability in the Middle East is expected to feature, given its effects on energy security, trade flows, supply chains and inflation. Attention is also on whether the Chinese, Russian and American leaders will meet as a trio. Analysts say China is reluctant to discuss nuclear disarmament, since it has fewer such weapons than the other two. They add that Washington and Moscow will want to talk about the war in Ukraine, but not necessarily with Beijing.

China-US relations are the central question: whether ties can stay stable. Analysts say both sides are falling short of their commitments under an extended trade truce. Rare earth supplies, artificial intelligence and tariffs are likely to come up, and US arms sales to Taiwan will be closely watched.

Regional friction also hangs over the summit. Relations between Japan and China have been strained since November 2025, when Takaichi angered Beijing by suggesting Japan could deploy its military if a Chinese move against Taiwan also threatened Japanese territory. China's relationship with the Philippines will draw scrutiny too, given continuing tension in the disputed South China Sea.

The members are Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Peru, the Philippines, Russia, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, the United States and Vietnam. Next week's signals to watch: whether the US-China truce holds steady, and whether Tokyo confirms Takaichi's attendance.