As the inaugural official event for science, technology and innovation cooperation during China’s 2026 APEC host year, the 27th APEC Policy Partnership on Science, Technology and Innovation (PPSTI) Meeting was successfully convened in Guangzhou on February 1, 2026, by the Ministry of Science and Technology of the People’s Republic of China. Vice Minister of Science and Technology Chen Jiachang attended the opening ceremony and delivered a speech. The meeting brought together approximately 100 delegates, including government officials, industry leaders, and academics from APEC member economies, as well as representatives from the APEC Secretariat and guest members.

　　APEC is the most influential economic cooperation mechanism of the highest-level and broadest-scope in the Asia Pacific. China, as the host, identifies the following theme for APEC 2026: Building an Asia-Pacific Community to Prosper Together. The three priorities for APEC 2026 are: Openness, Innovation, and Cooperation. Within the APEC framework, PPSTI is a working group focused on advancing science, technology, and innovation (STI) cooperation. In China, the Department of International Cooperation of the Ministry of Science and Technology acts as the coordinating body for this mechanism, overseeing and promoting related cooperative efforts. Under the 2026 theme “Fostering an Open and Collaborative Innovation Ecosystem for Resilient Growth in the Asia-Pacific”, PPSTI has identified the following priorities: Fostering a competitive and non-discriminatory environment for innovation, with a focus on digital transformation; Advancing open innovation ecosystems through policy dialogue and public-private partnerships to enhance regional competitiveness; Promoting open science and cross-border flows of knowledge to accelerate strong, balanced, secure, and resilient growth.

　　During the meeting, participants reviewed the latest progress and follow-up plans for APEC cooperation in STI fields and held in-depth discussions on matters related to PPSTI’s institutional development. The three PPSTI sub-groups - Building Science Capacity, Promoting an Enabling Environment for Innovation, and Enhancing Regional Science and Technology Connectivity - also exchanged views in detail on their respective progress and outcomes, and were briefed on ongoing or planned APEC projects. A side event titled “APEC Public–Private Dialogue: Advancing MSMEs’ Digital Transformation for Balanced, Sustainable and Inclusive Growth” was also convened. A field visit to the Xpeng Science Park was arranged, offering APEC delegates a first-hand insight into China’s practices in integrating technological innovation with industrial development.