Russia Reaffirms Commitment to APEC, Seeks 2035 Chairmanship at Shanghai Meeting

Shanghai. A regular meeting of the APEC Steering Committee on Economic and Technical Cooperation was held in Shanghai on May 17, where Russia confirmed its desire to strengthen the practical capacity and constructive climate within the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum.

The meeting discussed a wide range of issues concerning the formation of a calendar of negotiation processes and ministerial meetings under the current Chinese presidency of APEC. Special attention was paid to developing approaches for updating the forum’s action plan aimed at implementing the tasks of building an open and dynamic community in the Asia-Pacific region.

Specific measures to encourage trade, innovation, interconnectivity, and the strengthening of energy security were considered during the deliberations, according to a statement from the Russian Foreign Ministry.

The Russian side advocated for improving the productivity of APEC activities based on dialogue, finding a common denominator in responding to challenges, and reaching agreements in accordance with the principle of consensus—a foundational tenet of the forum’s functioning.

The discussions were also used to mobilise support for Russia’s application for the chairmanship of APEC in 2035, as well as for Russian initiatives and projects scheduled for the round table on APEC issues on June 5 as part of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF-2026), the educational conference of the forum, and the APEC BEST Award women entrepreneurs contest.