Kathmandu— The 32nd Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) Ministerial Meeting is scheduled for September 4th in Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China. The meeting will gather SME officials from APEC member economies, representatives from the APEC Secretariat, and other invited guests to discuss innovation-driven development and mutually beneficial cooperation. Hosted by China, the event aims to foster policy exchange and enhance the capabilities of SMEs across the Asia-Pacific region through technological advancement and digitalization.

Meeting Objectives and Themes

The ministerial meeting will center on three key areas: technological innovation, digital empowerment, and inclusive development. Liang Zhifeng, director of the SME bureau under China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), indicated that a joint ministerial statement and other outcome documents are anticipated from the discussions.

Vice Minister of Industry and Information Technology Ke Jixin expressed China's hope for forward-looking consensus among participating economies. He stated the goal is to promote policy learning, translate outcomes into action, and collectively strengthen the innovation capacity, digitalization levels, and sustainable development capabilities of SMEs in the Asia-Pacific region.

Guangzhou Preparations Complete

According to Guangdong Vice Governor Wang Sheng, preparations for the meeting are nearing completion. All APEC member economies have confirmed their participation, signaling strong regional engagement.

The accompanying exhibitions have also garnered significant interest, with over 2,100 companies from both domestic and international markets registering to participate, planning for more than 3,900 booths.

The SME Ministerial Meeting precedes the 33rd APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting, which China will host in Shenzhen this November – marking its third time hosting the event after Shanghai in 2001 and Beijing in 2014. This year is designated as the “APEC China Year,” with approximately 300 related meetings and events planned across multiple Chinese cities.

(With inputs from Xinhua)

Originally published on abcnews.com.np.