Can APEC reinvent itself?

share_windows This policy brief appeared in the Toda Peace Institute's Policy Briefs and Reports series on July 24 2026.

This policy brief details APEC’s evolution, paying particular attention to the pivotal roles of Australia and Japan. From its inception, APEC’s primary focus on trade liberalisation always looked like a hard sell in East Asia, where state intervention and the preservation of sovereignty remain important. However, the forthcoming APEC Summit in Shenzhen offers an opportunity to rethink and expand APEC’s role. When the Trump administration is increasingly seen as a source of chaos rather than stability, China has a chance to model responsible and creative state behaviour and even leadership. If China can convince Australia, Japan and other middle powers that it can work constructively to tackle common economic, security and environmental problems, it could make APEC a focus of cooperation and policy coordination into the future.

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