The 32nd APEC Small and Medium Enterprises Ministerial Meeting was recently held in Guangzhou, bringing together ministers and delegates from APEC member economies, along with representatives from APEC observers, the APEC Secretariat, and the APEC Business Advisory Council. The meeting sought to set a clear direction for SME development in the Asia-Pacific, build consensus, and drive tangible cooperation.

Discussions centered on three pillars: technological innovation, digital and intelligent empowerment, and inclusive growth. Across the region, SMEs face common hurdles in adopting AI — from technical barriers and high costs to talent shortages — with maturity levels varying widely.

The meeting unveiled the Guangzhou Initiative, under which China will establish an Asia-Pacific AI Empowerment SME Development Cooperation Center in Guangzhou and an Asia-Pacific SME Cooperation Zone in Shenzhen. These platforms aim to facilitate easy access to AI tools and services for SMEs across APEC economies, further contributing "China solution" and reinforcing China's role in advancing shared prosperity in the region.