# When is the APEC summit?

*The 2026 leaders' meeting has not started yet, and the week of meetings around it begins on Saturday, November 14, in Shenzhen.*

- Type: Explainer
- Section: World
- By: World Desk
- Published: 2026-11-12T00:11:47-05:00
- Updated: 2026-11-12T00:11:47-05:00
- URL: https://factsdesk.com/world/when-is-the-apec-summit/

## Key facts

- The 2026 APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting is upcoming: APEC lists it for November 18 to 19, 2026, in Shenzhen, People's Republic of China. Source: [Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation](https://www.apec.org/). Confirmed 2026-11-12T00:11:00-05:00. Cite: https://factsdesk.com/world/when-is-the-apec-summit/#the-2026-apec-economic-leaders-meeting-is-upcoming-apec
- The APEC Economic Leaders' Week begins on November 14, 2026, with meetings of senior officials and business representatives. Source: [APEC Secretariat](https://www.apec.org/press/news-releases/2026/apec-advances-trade--ai-cooperation-ahead-of-leaders--week). Confirmed 2026-11-12T00:11:00-05:00. Cite: https://factsdesk.com/world/when-is-the-apec-summit/#the-apec-economic-leaders-week-begins-on-november-14-2026
- The APEC Secretariat said the week culminates in the APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting on November 19, 2026. Source: [APEC Secretariat](https://www.apec.org/press/news-releases/2026/apec-advances-trade--ai-cooperation-ahead-of-leaders--week). Confirmed 2026-11-12T00:11:00-05:00. Cite: https://factsdesk.com/world/when-is-the-apec-summit/#the-apec-secretariat-said-the-week-culminates-in-the-apec
- China is the APEC host in 2026, for the third time. Source: [Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation](https://www.apec.org/). Confirmed 2026-11-12T00:11:00-05:00. Cite: https://factsdesk.com/world/when-is-the-apec-summit/#china-is-the-apec-host-in-2026-for-the-third-time
- Viet Nam is the APEC host for 2027 and Mexico for 2028, according to the leaders' 2025 declaration. Source: [Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation](https://www.apec.org/meeting-papers/leaders-declarations/2025/2025-apec-leaders--gyeongju-declaration). Confirmed 2026-11-12T00:11:30-05:00. Cite: https://factsdesk.com/world/when-is-the-apec-summit/#viet-nam-is-the-apec-host-for-2027-and-mexico-for-2028

The 2026 APEC summit has not happened yet. The APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting is listed among the upcoming events on the [APEC website](https://www.apec.org/) for November 18 to 19, 2026, in Shenzhen, People's Republic of China. Those dates fall on a Wednesday and a Thursday.

The APEC Secretariat's [November 3 news release](https://www.apec.org/press/news-releases/2026/apec-advances-trade--ai-cooperation-ahead-of-leaders--week) describes the schedule this way: the APEC Economic Leaders' Week begins on November 14 with meetings of senior officials and business representatives and culminates in the APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting on November 19. The same release said APEC economic leaders meet in Shenzhen on November 19.

## APEC 2026 leaders' week dates

The [APEC website](https://www.apec.org/) lists four upcoming events, all in Shenzhen.

| Event | Dates in 2026 |
| --- | --- |
| 4th APEC Business Advisory Council Meeting | November 14 to 16 |
| Concluding Senior Officials' Meeting | November 14 to 15 |
| APEC CEO Summit | November 17 to 18 |
| APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting | November 18 to 19 |

## Who hosts APEC in 2026

China hosts APEC in 2026, for the third time, the [APEC website](https://www.apec.org/) says. The host theme is "Building an Asia-Pacific Community to Prosper Together". The Secretariat's [news release](https://www.apec.org/press/news-releases/2026/apec-advances-trade--ai-cooperation-ahead-of-leaders--week) said APEC has focused on three priorities under that theme: openness, innovation and cooperation.

## Where the last APEC summit was held

The previous leaders' meeting took place in Gyeongju, Republic of Korea, from October 31 to November 1, 2025, according to the [declaration](https://www.apec.org/meeting-papers/leaders-declarations/2025/2025-apec-leaders--gyeongju-declaration) the leaders issued there.

## Who hosts APEC after 2026

The [Gyeongju declaration](https://www.apec.org/meeting-papers/leaders-declarations/2025/2025-apec-leaders--gyeongju-declaration) names the host years that follow China's.

| Year | Host |
| --- | --- |
| 2027 | Viet Nam |
| 2028 | Mexico |
| 2030 | Singapore |
| 2031 | Japan |
| 2032 | Chile |
| 2033 | Papua New Guinea |
| 2034 | Peru |

The declaration does not give dates for those meetings, and it names no host for 2029.

This page will be updated at this address when the 2026 meeting ends.

## Sources

1. [Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation home page, upcoming events](https://www.apec.org/), Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, 2026-11-12 (primary source)
2. [APEC Advances Trade, AI Cooperation Ahead of Leaders' Week](https://www.apec.org/press/news-releases/2026/apec-advances-trade--ai-cooperation-ahead-of-leaders--week), APEC Secretariat, 2026-11-03 (primary source)
3. [2025 APEC Leaders' Gyeongju Declaration](https://www.apec.org/meeting-papers/leaders-declarations/2025/2025-apec-leaders--gyeongju-declaration), Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, 2025-11-01 (primary source)