APEC Summit 2026 is the 33rd APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting, set for November 18–19, 2026, in Shenzhen, China, where 21 member economies meet under host and chair Xi Jinping. Trump confirmed he plans to attend, and the two presidents have already met twice in 2026 while a trade truce now runs to January 10.
APEC Summit 2026 – Introduction
The APEC Summit 2026 opens in Shenzhen on November 18, and it matters more to Americans than most years. China hosts the 33rd Economic Leaders’ Meeting, and Xi Jinping chairs it. Donald Trump says he plans to travel to Guangdong province for the talks, weeks after Xi spent three days in Washington. Vladimir Putin is expected to lead Russia’s delegation, though Moscow has not formally confirmed it. The Kremlin says a three-way meeting of the presidents was discussed. Nothing is scheduled.
APEC matters to US households and firms because its 21 member economies bought more than 55% of American goods exports in 2025, worth about $1.2 trillion. Seven of the top ten US trading partners belong to the group. This report covers the date, venue, members, leaders, agenda and trade numbers behind the APEC Summit 2026. Each section gives one chart, one table and a plain breakdown of the data. All figures are current as of September 28, 2026.
Interesting Facts About APEC Summit 2026
APEC SHARE OF THE WORLD
GDP | ███████████████████████████████████████████████████ 61
Trade | █████████████████████████████████████ 47
Population | ████████████████████████████ 38
| Fact | Confirmed 2026 Data |
|---|---|
| Event | 33rd APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting |
| Dates | November 18–19, 2026 |
| Location | Shenzhen, Guangdong, China |
| Host and chair | China; Xi Jinping chairs |
| Member economies | 21 |
| Theme | Building an Asia-Pacific Community to Prosper Together |
| CEO Summit | November 17–18, about 1,000 attendees |
| Trump attendance | Confirmed by Trump’s own social media post |
| Trade truce end date | January 10, after a two-month extension |
Source: U.S. Trade Representative (USTR); APEC Secretariat; Shenzhen Municipal People’s Government; Reuters and CNN reporting, September 2026.
The chart shows why the forum draws attention. The 21 economies produce about 61% of world GDP, carry about 47% of world trade and hold about 38% of the world’s people. The table lists the confirmed logistics. The 33rd meeting runs two days in Shenzhen, and the CEO Summit starts one day earlier with about 1,000 government and business figures. China chairs through Xi.
The last two rows carry the political weight of the APEC Summit 2026. Trump confirmed his plans himself, so no White House travel schedule exists yet. The trade truce now ends January 10 instead of November 10, which buys two extra months. The theme frames China’s push on openness, innovation and cooperation.
APEC Summit 2026 Schedule: Every Meeting Before Shenzhen in 2026
HOST-YEAR MEETING LENGTH (days)
Senior Officials, Guangzhou | ██████████ 10
Trade Ministers, Suzhou | ██ 2
CEO Summit, Shenzhen | ██ 2
Leaders' Meeting, Shenzhen | ██ 2
| Meeting | Date | Place |
|---|---|---|
| First Senior Officials’ Meeting | February 1–10, 2026 | Guangzhou |
| Ministers Responsible for Trade | May 22–23, 2026 | Suzhou |
| CEO Summit | November 17–18, 2026 | Shenzhen |
| Economic Leaders’ Meeting | November 18–19, 2026 | Shenzhen |
Source: APEC Secretariat; APEC China 2026 host portal; Shenzhen Municipal People’s Government.
The 10-day opening round of Senior Officials’ meetings started the host year in Guangzhou in February 2026. It is the longest block on the chart by a wide margin. Officials from all 21 economies used it to set the year’s work plan. The trade ministers met for two days, May 22–23, in Suzhou under Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao. They issued the Suzhou Statement, which backed the long-term Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific goal, World Trade Organization reform and digital and green trade work.
The final block is short and dense. The CEO Summit and the Leaders’ Meeting each run two days and overlap by one, so business chiefs and presidents share Shenzhen on November 18. China set three priorities for the APEC Summit 2026: openness, innovation and cooperation. Foreign Minister Wang Yi has asked negotiators for a substantive outcome document. Officials have spent the months since May narrowing differences before leaders sign it.
Trump Xi Meeting 2026: Timeline of Every Face-to-Face Talk
DAYS BETWEEN TRUMP-XI MEETINGS
Busan to Beijing | ████████████████████ 197
Beijing to Washington | █████████████ 132
Washington to Shenzhen | ██████ 55
Shenzhen to Miami | ███ 26
| Meeting | Date | Place | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Busan talks | October 30, 2025 | South Korea | Held |
| Beijing visit | May 15, 2026 | China | Held |
| Washington state visit | September 23–25, 2026 | United States | Held |
| APEC leaders’ meeting | November 18–19, 2026 | Shenzhen | Trump says he will attend |
| G20 summit | December 14–15, 2026 | Miami | Scheduled |
Source: CNN, Reuters and CNBC reporting on each meeting, September 2026; published leader travel schedules for the G20 dates.
Read the chart as a countdown. Busan to Beijing took 197 days. Beijing to Washington took 132 days. The Washington talks on September 24 sit only 55 days before Shenzhen, and the Miami G20 follows Shenzhen by 26 days. The gaps shrink each round, which shows both governments want regular contact. The Busan round produced the current trade truce. Trump’s May visit included a tour of the Zhongnanhai garden compound in Beijing.
Xi told Trump at a White House tea that two more chances to meet remain this year, first the APEC Summit 2026 and then the G20. Trump replied that he would come and later posted that he plans to attend. No formal Shenzhen bilateral has been announced. The Washington visit delivered few concrete results beyond the truce extension. Reports differ on how firm the AI dialogue agreed there is.
US China Trade 2026: The Numbers Behind APEC Summit 2026 Talks
US-CHINA TRADE IN 2025 (billions of dollars)
Goods imports from China | ███████████████████████████████ 308.7
Goods deficit | ████████████████████ 202.7
Goods exports to China | ███████████ 106.0
Services exports to China | ██████ 57.2
| Metric (2025) | Value | Change from 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| Total goods and services trade | $494.6 billion | −25.1% |
| Goods exports to China | $106.0 billion | −26.0% |
| Goods imports from China | $308.7 billion | −29.9% |
| Goods trade deficit | $202.7 billion | −31.8% |
| Services exports to China | $57.2 billion | +5.0% |
Source: U.S. Trade Representative (USTR), People’s Republic of China trade profile, 2026 update.
Every goods number in the table fell. Total goods and services trade dropped 25.1% to $494.6 billion. US goods exports to China fell 26.0% to $106.0 billion, and imports fell 29.9% to $308.7 billion. The goods deficit shrank 31.8% to $202.7 billion, which is still above $200 billion. Services moved the other way. US services exports to China rose 5.0% to $57.2 billion.
Tariffs drove the drop. Mutual tariffs topped 100% in spring 2025 before the Busan truce cut them. That deal also paused Chinese export limits on rare earths and set purchase targets for US soybeans. The APEC Summit 2026 puts those numbers under pressure. The truce extension gives both governments until January 10 to roll the deal over or pursue the bigger agreement Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent says Beijing proposed.
APEC Members 2026: All 21 Economies and Their Leaders
APEC ECONOMIES BY REGION
Southeast Asia | ███████ 7
East Asia | █████ 5
Americas | █████ 5
Oceania | ███ 3
Russia | █ 1
| Economy | Leader (September 2026) |
|---|---|
| Australia | Prime Minister Anthony Albanese |
| Brunei Darussalam | Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah |
| Canada | Prime Minister Mark Carney |
| Chile | President José Antonio Kast |
| China | President Xi Jinping (host) |
| Hong Kong, China | Chief Executive John Lee |
| Indonesia | President Prabowo Subianto |
| Japan | Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi |
| Republic of Korea | President Lee Jae Myung |
| Malaysia | Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim |
| Mexico | President Claudia Sheinbaum |
| New Zealand | Prime Minister Christopher Luxon |
| Papua New Guinea | Prime Minister James Marape |
| Peru | President Keiko Fujimori |
| Philippines | President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. |
| Russia | President Vladimir Putin |
| Singapore | Prime Minister Lawrence Wong |
| Chinese Taipei | Envoy not yet named |
| Thailand | Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul |
| United States | President Donald Trump |
| Viet Nam | General Secretary and President To Lam |
Source: APEC Secretariat member list; U.S. Department of State; national government announcements. Office holders as of September 28, 2026; attendance is not final.
Southeast Asia holds the most seats with seven economies. East Asia and the Americas hold five each, Oceania holds three and Russia holds one. Keiko Fujimori became Peru’s president on July 28, 2026, after a runoff win by fewer than 50,000 votes. She is Peru’s ninth president in a decade. Chile’s José Antonio Kast also took office in 2026. Mark Carney arrives amid an open tariff fight with Washington, and Canada’s push to sell beyond the US market shows how Ottawa is responding.
Two seats carry open questions. Russian officials say Putin is expected to lead his delegation, and the Kremlin says a Putin-Trump-Xi meeting was discussed, but nothing is scheduled. Taiwan takes part as Chinese Taipei. Its president does not attend leaders’ meetings, and Taipei had not named an envoy as of September 20. Beijing says Taiwan’s participation depends on the one-China principle. Washington says every economy deserves equal participation.
Trade Truce Deadline 2026: What Trump and Xi Must Settle at APEC Summit 2026
DAYS LEFT ON THE TRADE TRUCE
Original end date, November 10 | █████████ 43
Leaders' Meeting opens, Nov 18 | ██████████ 51
New end date, January 10 | █████████████████████ 104
| Item | 2026 Status |
|---|---|
| Soybean purchases | 25 million tons required; Beijing is meeting it |
| Other US farm goods | $17 billion pledge; Beijing is lagging |
| Rare earth deliveries | Falling short, according to US officials |
| Boeing aircraft | 200 aircraft commitment; progress, no near-term orders |
| Truce end date | Moved from November 10 to January 10 |
Source: Reuters, CBS News and NBC News reporting on Treasury and USTR statements, September 2026.
The chart shows the clock. On September 28 the original truce end date sat 43 days away, which was 8 days before Shenzhen opens. The extension adds 61 days and pushes the deadline 104 days out. The table shows the scorecard. China is meeting the 25 million ton soybean requirement but trails on $17 billion of other farm purchases. US officials say rare earth deliveries also lag.
Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said China is making progress on the 200 Boeing aircraft, though Boeing’s chief says airlines will order at their own pace. Analysts at the Asia Society Policy Institute read the short extension as proof Washington doubts full compliance. Bessent said he does not know whether the sides will roll the deal or sign a bigger one. Our report on the Trump Xi summit in Washington tracks that visit in detail.
US Exports to APEC 2026: What American Firms Sell Across the Pacific
US GOODS EXPORTS TO APEC IN 2024 (billions of dollars)
Machinery | ███████████████████████████████████ 173.2
Electrical machinery | ███████████████████████████████ 156.7
Mineral fuels | ██████████████████████████████ 150.5
Vehicles | █████████████████████ 105.4
Optical, medical devices | ████████████ 58.6
| Category | 2024 Value |
|---|---|
| Machinery | $173.2 billion |
| Electrical machinery | $156.7 billion |
| Mineral fuels | $150.5 billion |
| Vehicles | $105.4 billion |
| Optical and medical instruments | $58.6 billion |
| All goods exports to APEC | $1,234.3 billion (60.2% of US exports) |
| Agricultural exports to APEC | $133.1 billion |
Source: U.S. Trade Representative (USTR), U.S.-APEC Trade Facts; U.S. Department of State.
Machinery leads at $173.2 billion, followed by electrical machinery at $156.7 billion and mineral fuels at $150.5 billion. Vehicles reached $105.4 billion, and optical and medical instruments reached $58.6 billion. Total goods exports to the region hit $1,234.3 billion, up 2.0% from 2023, and they made up 60.2% of all US exports. Farm shipments alone reached $133.1 billion.
The State Department puts the 2025 share above 55%, or about $1.2 trillion. USTR also counts $4.1 trillion in US goods and services trade with APEC in 2024, against regional GDP of $67.8 trillion and about 3.0 billion people. That is why the APEC Summit 2026 reaches beyond Beijing. For the wider ranking, see this breakdown of US trading partners statistics.
Frequently Asked Questions About APEC Summit 2026
When is the APEC Summit 2026?
The APEC Summit 2026 runs November 18–19, 2026. The APEC CEO Summit starts a day earlier, on November 17.
Where is the APEC Summit 2026 being held?
Shenzhen, in China’s Guangdong province, hosts the APEC Summit 2026. It is the third time China hosts, after 2001 and 2014.
Who hosts and chairs the APEC Summit 2026?
China hosts, and President Xi Jinping chairs the Leaders’ Meeting. The host year carries the name APEC China 2026.
Is Trump attending the APEC Summit 2026?
Trump says yes. He posted that he plans to attend after Xi invited him at the end of the Washington state visit. Trump also hosts the G20 summit in Miami in December.
Will Trump meet Xi at the APEC Summit 2026?
Both leaders plan to attend the same summit. No formal bilateral appears on the public schedule yet. Xi called it one of two remaining chances to meet this year.
Will Putin attend the APEC Summit 2026?
Russian officials say Putin is expected to lead the delegation. Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov said a Putin-Trump-Xi trilateral was discussed. No three-way meeting is formally scheduled.
How many countries are in APEC in 2026?
APEC has 21 member economies. Not all are countries. Hong Kong, China and Chinese Taipei take part as economies.
Which countries are APEC members in 2026?
The members are Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Canada, Chile, China, Hong Kong, China, Indonesia, Japan, Republic of Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Peru, the Philippines, Russia, Singapore, Chinese Taipei, Thailand, the United States and Viet Nam.
What is the theme of the APEC Summit 2026?
The theme is Building an Asia-Pacific Community to Prosper Together. The three priorities are openness, innovation and cooperation.
What is on the APEC Summit 2026 agenda?
Expect talks on trade and investment, the Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific, WTO support, the digital economy, artificial intelligence, connectivity and sustainable development. China wants a substantive outcome document.
Will Taiwan attend the APEC Summit 2026?
Taiwan takes part as Chinese Taipei, and its president does not attend leaders’ meetings. Taipei had not named an envoy as of September 20, 2026. Beijing ties participation to the one-China principle.
What happens to the US-China trade truce after the APEC Summit 2026?
The truce now ends January 10. Bessent says the sides may roll it over or seek a bigger deal. Shenzhen gives Trump and Xi their next chance to discuss it.
What is the APEC CEO Summit 2026?
The CEO Summit runs November 17–18 in Shenzhen and draws about 1,000 government and business representatives. The China Council for the Promotion of International Trade hosts it.
Where was APEC held before the 2026 summit?
Gyeongju, South Korea, hosted it on October 31 to November 1, 2025. Leaders endorsed the Gyeongju Declaration and the APEC AI Initiative. Trump met Xi in South Korea on October 30 and left before the forum opened.
Disclaimer: This research report is compiled from publicly available sources. While reasonable efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, no representation or warranty, express or implied, is given as to the completeness or reliability of the information. We accept no liability for any errors, omissions, losses, or damages of any kind arising from the use of this report.