Li Chenggang, China’s International Trade Negotiator and Vice Minister of Commerce, speaks during a press conference in Beijing on July 18, 2025. Wang Zhao/AFP via Getty Images
Asia-Pacific trade ministers convened a two-day meeting in the Chinese city of Suzhou on May 22 and 23 as governments across the region grapple with trade imbalances, supply chain risks, and economic uncertainty.
The gathering of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Ministers Responsible for Trade is a key preparatory ministerial meeting ahead of the main APEC Economic Leaders’ Summit in November at Shenzhen. It allows senior officials to narrow differences on contentious topics such as trade imbalances and emerging technologies, setting the stage for decisions at the leaders’ level.