Shenzhen’s people-first technology points the way for APEC

Zhang Yu

With his palm held flat and open, a gesture-controlled drone hovered steadily in front of Eduardo Pedrosa before settling gently onto his hand. Watching the demonstration at the Shenzhen Bay Culture Square on May 5 in the southern Chinese tech hub, the executive director of the APEC Secretariat let out an unscripted “Wow!”

The following day, onstage at the APEC China 2026 “Tech for People” Nanshan Day event, Pedrosa joked about having misplaced his glasses.

“Please help me find a tracker for these,” he said, waving the frames at the audience.

A gesture-responsive drone and a simple wish for trackable eyewear may seem like minor moments, but together they offered telling insights into Pedrosa’s central belief: Technology has real value only when it solves the everyday problems people actually face.

Eduardo Pedrosa (L), executive director of the APEC Secretariat, and Fernando Salas, director of Communications and Public Affairs of APEC Secretariat, observe a humanoid robot at a  tech exhibition on the fifth floor of Qianhai Block V in Qianhai on May 5. Photo by Qiu Weibin

Ahead of the 33rd APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting, scheduled to be held in Shenzhen this November, Pedrosa made two working visits to the city to attend a series of APEC-related events in May and July this year. His busy itinerary included extensive site visits, hands-on technology demonstrations, a forum for youth scholars and the APEC Ministerial Meeting on Forestry, as well as exclusive interviews with Shenzhen Daily.

His observations over the years have positioned Shenzhen as a unique window into China’s pursuit of high-quality development — and as a living example of technological innovation created for the people, embraced by the people and capable of benefiting communities around the world.

Interoperability over uniformity

Amid rising global protectionism and persistent digital divides across borders, Pedrosa has repeatedly emphasized a fundamental principle: Economic growth is a means, not the ultimate goal of development. Meaningful innovation must expand opportunities, raise living standards and promote inclusive, green growth for people across the Asia-Pacific.

Eduardo Pedrosa (R), executive director of the APEC Secretariat, tries a pair of smart glasses at Inno100 in Nanshan District on May 6. Photo by Zhen Jianhong

He does not support imposing identical regulatory standards on every APEC economy. Instead, he advocates interoperability — an approach in which each economy maintains its own rules while digital, industrial and trade platforms are able to operate smoothly across borders.

“One of the things that APEC really looks at is not harmonization, but interoperability,” Pedrosa said. “To make sure our systems can work together.”

As a neutral multilateral platform, APEC provides consistent channels for governments to coordinate their innovation agendas. Shenzhen’s cross-border industrial collaboration within the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, Pedrosa suggested, offers a tangible and potentially replicable example of mutually beneficial cooperation.

A city built on three pillars of connectivity

More than two decades of dramatic urban transformation have left Pedrosa astonished.

“Shenzhen is unrecognizable. Nothing I see today resembles the quiet town I first visited,” he said.

He also pointed to the vastly improved connections between Hong Kong and Shenzhen — including direct ferry routes, multiple bridges and integrated high-speed rail links — as vivid evidence of deepening regional integration.

Eduardo Pedrosa (R), executive director of the APEC Secretariat, (L) listens to an introduction to products during a visit to DJI Innovation in Nanshan District, Shenzhen. Photo by Zhen Jianhong

APEC has long identified three core dimensions of connectivity: physical infrastructure, institutional coordination and people-to-people exchanges. During his visit to Qianhai in May, Pedrosa found firsthand evidence that the third dimension may be the most important of all.

Qianhai, officially known as the Qianhai Shenzhen-Hong Kong Modern Service Industry Cooperation Zone, is a national-level special zone designed to pilot policies for cross-border opening-up and innovation.

At a technology exhibition on the fifth floor of Qianhai Block V, Pedrosa’s team donned AI-powered simultaneous-interpretation headsets and chatted freely with local guides. Immersive AI glasses and naked-eye 3D displays impressed the group, but it was the simplest gadgets that generated the liveliest conversations.

Adjustable ergonomic office chairs proved an instant hit. Every member of the team took a seat to try them out, prompting a series of lighthearted exchanges.

“This chair is far more comfortable than the one in my office,” Pedrosa said with a laugh.

Fernando Salas, communications director of the APEC Secretariat, responded: “It’s so comfortable that you can barely get any work done in it.”

Later, while trying out Chinese artificial intelligence giant SenseTime Group Inc.’s AI-powered chess robot, Pedrosa offered another playful suggestion: “Maybe developers could build a mahjong robot next.”

These casual, unscripted moments captured the essence of Qianhai’s approach to innovation: Cutting-edge technology should be intuitive, enjoyable and closely integrated into everyday life.

In his interview with Shenzhen Daily, Pedrosa expanded on this idea and explained APEC’s three-layer connectivity framework through the lens of what he had seen in Qianhai.

“Physical connectivity refers to infrastructure, while institutional connectivity focuses on regulatory coordination,” Pedrosa said. “But today’s visit drove home a clearer truth: People-to-people connectivity matters most. Engineers, designers, architects and all kinds of talented people come together in this innovation hub to exchange ideas and spark inspiration. This flow of people generates the lasting momentum needed for collaborative breakthroughs.”

What impressed Pedrosa most was Qianhai’s integrated innovation ecosystem, which brings together researchers, financial institutions and policymakers to turn laboratory breakthroughs into market-ready products that improve people’s lives.

“I’m blown away by how this whole system generates real, on-the-ground impact,” he said.

Pedrosa also highlighted Shenzhen’s balanced approach to urban development when discussing sustainability.

“It’s fascinating to see skyscrapers rise alongside extensive greenery and protected mangroves,” he told Shenzhen Daily during the APEC Ministerial Meeting on Forestry in July. 

“Geospatial planning and zoning are crucial if we are to urbanize without sacrificing sustainability. Green spaces absorb heat and can also act as firebreaks.”

He added that Shenzhen’s technology-enabled approach to ecological governance offers valuable lessons for economies seeking to balance industrial growth with environmental protection.

APEC’s shifting agenda: Innovation takes center stage

Pedrosa outlined a clear timeline of changing priorities across China’s three occasions of hosting APEC meetings. The 2001 meeting focused largely on trade and investment liberalization. The 2014 meeting broadened the agenda to promote cross-border connectivity. In 2026, as Shenzhen takes the helm, technological innovation and long-term sustainability will be at the heart of the agenda.

Shenzhen’s competitive strength lies in its complete industrial chain, which closely links research institutions with manufacturers and accelerates the commercialization of new technologies. Its homegrown products range from AI chips and smart home appliances to cleaning robots and augmented-reality glasses. Many have gained popularity around the world and even appeared at the latest FIFA World Cup.

Pedrosa singled out the integration of artificial intelligence and renewable energy as a promising area of development — one that he said resonates strongly with younger generations. He encouraged APEC delegations to explore Shenzhen’s innovation ecosystem ahead of the November meeting.

The evolution of APEC’s agenda, he noted, reflects China’s pursuit of high-quality development and gives fresh momentum to the APEC Putrajaya Vision 2040, which seeks to build an open, dynamic, resilient and peaceful Asia-Pacific region.

At the APEC Study Centers Consortium Youth Scholars Forum in May, Pedrosa highlighted the irreplaceable role of young researchers in building a regional community based on mutual understanding, rather than merely shared economic interests. He also said the Greater Bay Area’s complementary industrial strengths offered a scalable model of cooperation for the wider Asia-Pacific.

2026 APEC: A new bond between people and technology

Looking out over Shenzhen’s illuminated skyline during an interview with Shenzhen Daily, Pedrosa offered a forward-looking preview of what global leaders and observers may see at the 2026 APEC meeting.

The world, he said, will not only marvel at Shenzhen’s legendary speed of urban development, but also gain a deeper understanding of a new relationship between people and technology taking shape in the city.

“Technology ultimately belongs to people,” he said. “It exists to serve humanity, earn people’s trust and win their affection.”