In 2026, China is hosting APEC for the third time, with the 33rd APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting set to take place in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, from November 18 to 19.
With Shenzhen hosting this year's APEC meetings, Guangdong will be in the spotlight. But its connection with the Asia-Pacific region goes far beyond hosting a major international event.
As one of China's largest provincial-level economies and a major foreign trade hub, Guangdong has long maintained extensive trade links with economies across the region. Just how significant are these ties? And which APEC economy is Guangdong's largest trading partner?
APEC economies: A major part of Guangdong's trade network
The latest figures offer a clear picture of the importance of the Asia-Pacific region to Guangdong's economy.
In the first three quarters of 2026, Guangdong's imports and exports with the other 20 APEC membereconomies reached 5.74 trillion yuan (about US$856.73 billion), up 26.4 percent year on year.
The figure accounted for 65.9 percent of Guangdong's total foreign trade, meaning that nearly two-thirds of the province's trade was conducted with other APEC economies. Trade with these economies also grew 1.9 percentage points faster than Guangdong's overall foreign trade, contributing 17.1 percentage points to the province's total trade growth.
The figures point to more than just a large trading volume. They also reflect increasingly close links between Guangdong and the wider Asia-Pacific region. For example, trade in intermediate goods, components and materials used to make other products, between Guangdong and other APEC economies totalled 3.62 trillion yuan, up 41.7 percent.
This highlights the role of APEC economies in regional manufacturing and supply chains, with businesses across the region connected through the movement of goods, components and materials.
But the overall figures tell only part of the story. Trade ties vary considerably across the region, with some economies accounting for a much larger share of Guangdong's trade than others.
So, which economies are Guangdong's biggest trading partners?
Who tops Guangdong's APEC trade list?
The following ranking looks at Guangdong's total imports and exports with the 20 other APEC economies in 2025, measured in yuan. Starting from No. 20, let's count down to the largest trading partner.
No. 20: Brunei Darussalam
CNY 1.61 billion
Brunei Darussalam ranks 20th, with trade between the two sides totalling 1.61 billion yuan in 2025.
No. 19: Papua New Guinea
CNY 3.07 billion
Trade with Papua New Guinea reached 3.07 billion yuan, placing it 19th among the 20 economies.
No. 18: New Zealand
CNY 24.04 billion
Guangdong's trade with New Zealand totalled 24.04 billion yuan in 2025. The two have developed trade links in areas such as dairy products, fresh produce and logistics alongside growing cooperation in creative industries and technology.
No. 17: Peru
CNY 26.68 billion
Trade with Peru reached 26.68 billion yuan, putting the South American economy in 17th place.
No. 16: Chile
CNY 51.86 billion
Guangdong's imports and exports with Chile totalled 51.86 billion yuan, nearly twice the value recorded with Peru.
Guangdong established a partnership with Chile's Valparaíso Region in August 2007. Valparaíso is Chile's fifth-largest region and its second-largest industrial area, with a strong port economy and industries ranging from mining and manufacturing to agriculture and fruit exports. Cooperation with Guangdong has included trade, culture and sports exchanges.
No. 15: Canada
CNY 102.04 billion
Trade with Canada exceeded 100 billion yuan in 2025, reaching 102.04 billion yuan.
Guangdong has established partnerships with three Canadian provinces: British Columbia in 1995, Alberta in 2017 and Nova Scotia in 2018. Located on Canada's Pacific coast, British Columbia has strengths in forestry, mining, clean energy and technology. Cooperation has expanded into hydrogen energy, aerospace and video gaming. Alberta and Nova Scotia bring further opportunities in energy, agriculture and the ocean economy.
No. 14: Russia
CNY 124.47 billion
Russia ranked 14th, with trade between Guangdong and Russia reaching 124.47 billion yuan.
Guangdong's regional ties with Russia include partnerships with Khabarovsk Krai, established in November 2012, and Saint Petersburg, established in January 2014. Khabarovsk, in Russia's Far East, offers opportunities for regional trade and tourism, while Saint Petersburg is a major cultural, scientific and industrial centre. Exchanges between the regions cover trade, education, tourism and culture.
No. 13: The Philippines
CNY 135.17 billion
Trade with the Philippines totalled 135.17 billion yuan, placing it among Guangdong's mid-ranking APEC trading partners.
Guangdong and Cebu Province established a sister-province partnership in October 2009. Located in the central Philippines, Cebu is a major tourism and business hub, known for its beaches, historic sites and growing service economy. The partnership has provided a platform for exchanges in trade, tourism, education and culture.
No. 12: Singapore
CNY 167.36 billion
Guangdong's trade with Singapore reached 167.36 billion yuan in 2025, reflecting the importance of Southeast Asian economies in the province's regional trade network.
No. 11: Mexico
CNY 167.87 billion
Mexico edged ahead of Singapore, with total trade reaching 167.87 billion yuan, a difference of just 510 million yuan between the two economies.
Guangdong established a partnership with Mexico's State of Mexico in June 2002. Located in central Mexico, the state is an important manufacturing base, with industries including automobiles, chemicals and food processing, sectors that also have strong foundations in Guangdong.
No. 10: Indonesia
CNY 178.66 billion
Indonesia ranked 10th, with trade reaching 178.66 billion yuan. It was one of seven Southeast Asian economies in the top 20.
Guangdong and Indonesia's North Sumatra Province established a partnership in March 2002. One of Indonesia's major agricultural regions, North Sumatra is known for its palm oil, rubber and coffee production. These industries offer opportunities for cooperation with Guangdong in agricultural trade, food processing and related industries.
No. 9: Australia
CNY 180.57 billion
Australia narrowly ranked above Indonesia, with trade totalling 180.57 billion yuan,just 1.91 billion yuan more than Indonesia.
Guangdong's partnership with New South Wales dates back to 1979, while its partnership with Queensland was established in 2008. New South Wales is Australia's most populous state and a major centre for finance, education and technology; Queensland is known for agriculture, mining and tourism. Their partnerships with Guangdong span trade, investment, education and innovation.
No. 8: Thailand
CNY 254 billion
Trade with Thailand reached 254 billion yuan, placing it among Guangdong's eight largest APEC trading partners.
No. 7: Malaysia
CNY 292.39 billion
Malaysia ranked seventh, with trade totalling 292.39 billion yuan in 2025. Its position highlights the importance of Southeast Asia in Guangdong's trade links with the Asia-Pacific.
Guangdong and Malacca State in Malaysia established a partnership in September 2015. A historic trading port along the Strait of Malacca, the state is known for its multicultural heritage and tourism industry, offering opportunities for cooperation in trade, tourism and cultural exchanges.
No. 6: The Republic of Korea
CNY 443.44 billion
Trade with the Republic of Korea reached 443.44 billion yuan, putting it in sixth place and making it one of Guangdong's largest trading partners in East Asia.
Guangdong established partnerships with Gyeonggi-do in October 2003 and Chungcheongnam-do in June 2016. Gyeonggi-do is a major industrial and technology hub, while Chungcheongnam-do has a strong manufacturing base. These partnerships have provided opportunities for cooperation in trade, investment and technology.
No. 5: Viet Nam
CNY 451.88 billion
Viet Nam ranked fifth, with trade reaching 451.88 billion yuan. Its total was slightly higher than that of the Republic of Korea by 8.44 billion yuan.
Guangdong and Ho Chi Minh Cityestablished a partnership in November 2009. As Viet Nam's largest city and a major commercial and financial centre, Ho Chi Minh City is an important partner for Guangdong in trade, investment and business exchanges. The two sides marked the 10th anniversary of their partnership in 2019.
No. 4: Japan
CNY 499.58 billion
Japan came fourth, with trade between Guangdong and Japan approaching the 500-billion-yuan mark.
Guangdong's partnership with Hyogo Prefecture dates back to 1983. Known for its manufacturing base, including steel, machinery and shipbuilding, Hyogo has developed economic and educational exchanges with Guangdong. Aichi Prefecture, home to a major automotive industry, joined the partnership network in 2019, adding another dimension to cooperation in advanced manufacturing and technology.
No. 3: Chinese Taipei
CNY 832.97 billion
Chinese Taipei ranked third, with trade reaching 832.97 billion yuan, significantly higher than Japan's total. It was also one of only three economies to record trade with Guangdong of more than 800 billion yuan.
No. 2: The United States
CNY 945.42 billion
The United States took second place, with trade totalling 945.42 billion yuan in 2025, putting it close to the trillion-yuan mark.
Guangdong's partnerships with Massachusetts, Hawaii, California and Michigan reflect the diversity of its ties with the United States. Massachusetts has strengths in biotechnology and higher education; California is a leader in technology and clean energy; Michigan is closely associated with the automotive industry; and Hawaii provides opportunities for tourism and cultural exchanges.
No. 1: Hong Kong, China
CNY 1.27 trillion
And at the top of the list is Hong Kong, China.
Trade between Guangdong and Hong Kong, China reached 1.27 trillion yuan in 2025, making it the province's largest trading partner among the 20 other APEC economies.
Its trade value was more than 300 billion yuan higher than that of the United States, which ranked second, and accounted for a substantial share of Guangdong's trade with the APEC region.
What do the rankings tell us?
The figures reveal a trade network with several major hubs.
Hong Kong, China, the United States and Chinese Taipei together accounted for nearly half of Guangdong's total trade with the 20 other APEC economies in 2025. Their combined trade value reached more than 3 trillion yuan.
East Asian economies also featured prominently. Japan and the Republic of Korea ranked fourth and sixth respectively, with their combined trade value reaching 943.02 billion yuan, almost matching the United States' total.
Southeast Asia was another important part of the picture. The seven ASEAN economies included in the ranking, Viet Nam, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore, the Philippines and Brunei Darussalam, recorded combined trade with Guangdong of about 1.48 trillion yuan.
Taken together, the figures show that Guangdong's trade links with APEC extend across a diverse range of economies from major regional trading hubs to emerging markets. But these connections go beyond trade. Through partnerships with provinces and states, sister-city ties and people-to-people exchanges, Guangdong has continued to broaden cooperation with its APEC partners in areas ranging from education and culture to tourism, technology and innovation.
As Shenzhen prepares to host the 33rd APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting, these growing connections, built through trade, institutional partnerships and exchanges between people, offer a broader picture of Guangdong's engagement with the Asia-Pacific region.
Reporter: Li Muzi
Posters: Lai Meiya, Huang Manshi (Intern)
