The 32nd Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Ministers Responsible for Trade MeetingFrom May 22 to 23, the 32nd Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Ministers Responsible for Trade Meeting was held in Suzhou. Suzhou, the oriental water city that has been read by the world for more than 2,500 years, has once again attracted global attention with its "double-sided embroidery" charm of co-prosperity and symbiosis of humanities and economy.
Guests see Suzhou as a city of both industrial vitality and timeless grace. With the total output value of large-scale industrial enterprises exceeding 4.9 trillion yuan, Suzhou stands firmly as China's second-largest industrial city - this is its economic hard power. The elegance of the City of a Hundred Gardens, the profundity of the City of a Hundred Museums, and the vitality of the City of a Hundred Operas intertwine to create the timeless charm of "Paradise on Earth" - this is Suzhou's cultural soft power. Using the delicate layout of its classical gardens to map out the landscape of a modern economy, and the mastery of double-sided embroidery to bridge the East and the West, Suzhou has leaped to become a leading window of China's reform and opening-up.
Stepping into the venue, a sky-blue welcome backdrop, inspired by Suzhou's classical gardens, warmly greets guests from near and far. It encapsulates the elegance and craftsmanship of Jiangnan garden culture, offering Chinese and international visitors a taste of the unique reserve and warmth that define Jiangnan's heritage.
Fine examples of Suzhou embroidery made guests pause in admiration. "Beauty needs no translation, it brings people from different countries and regions closer," said Yu Junyao, a 28-year-old Suzhou embroiderer and assistant director of the Yao Huifen Suzhou Embroidery Art Museum. She has been recreating the Ming-dynasty woodblock print The Romance of the Western Chamber using embroidery techniques, adding colors according to her own interpretation. "I chose to demonstrate this piece on-site because it integrates multiple elements of Chinese culture," Yu explained, "It tells a classic love story, showcases the exquisite skill of Suzhou embroidery, and also highlights the beauty of woodblock prints." What intrigued foreign guests the most was the dazzling variety of stitching techniques on display.
Every step reveals a new scene, beauty unfolds in every direction. The resourceful people of Suzhou have transformed the venue into a "cultural living room," where time-honored Suzhou intangible cultural heritage - embroidery, Kesi silk tapestry, Song brocade, and more - captivates Chinese and international guests alike. At the Taohuawu New Year woodblock print experience area, excitement runs high. Guests line up eagerly to print their own festive picture. Qiao Lanrong, provincial-level representative inheritor of this national intangible cultural heritage item, brings both the traditional piece Harmony in Unity and an innovative "Year of the Horse" blessing print for guests to try. "Guests get hands-on experience with color-printing techniques and can take home their own work," Qiao says, pointing to a piece titled Grain Buds . "The conference coincides with the 'Grain Buds' solar term, so we also use our art to share the wisdom of traditional Chinese solar terms."
Suphajee Suthumpun, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Commerce of Thailand, along with Indonesian businesspeople, American journalists, and other friends from different countries and regions attending the conference, left their stitches on the Suzhou embroidery piece " APEC CHINA 2026 ." Sewing together the bonds of friendship across nations, it stands as a unique testament to Asia-Pacific solidarity.
Innovation is the magic key to Suzhou's remarkable economic success, and equally, the secret behind the enduring vitality of its historical and cultural heritage.
For the conference, Jin Yi, inheritor of Suzhou's handmade cheongsam intangible cultural heritage, incorporated local elements such as the city flower (osmanthus), the famous hairy crab, and Suzhou pingtan musical instruments into the art of Chinese knotted buttons (pankou). These works go beyond aesthetics - they can be transformed into brooches, collar pins, and other forms, allowing foreign guests to experience the resilience and warmth of traditional Chinese craftsmanship firsthand.
Suzhou Taihu Snow Silk Co., Ltd. has creatively integrated the twelve zodiac signs into its silk products, producing cultural goods that appeal not only to foreign customers but also to young consumers.
The vitality of a culture lies in its ability to weave into the fabric of modern life. Suzhou has consistently used innovation to bring its historical heritage to life - preserving it in the present and empowering it for the future.
In the eyes of Chen Wen, a provincial-level representative inheritor of the Kesi (silk tapestry) weaving technique, this ancient craft serves as a contemporary medium - while preserving the charm of classical Chinese painting, it is increasingly infused with everyday beauty and cultural resonance. To make this "lost art" more accessible, Chen has not only organized exhibitions in Malaysia, Singapore, New Zealand and beyond, but also developed a new Kesi learning loom based on traditional designs. By offering interest classes in primary and secondary schools, she brings culture into the classroom, allowing children to understand the Chinese wisdom embedded in every thread through the push and pull of their fingertips. Joerg Heinrich, a board member of the Swiss Mechanical Processing Alliance, noted that his years of work in textile machinery made such a cultural scene feel especially familiar to him.
Wandering through the APEC venue, one might unexpectedly come across a Suzhou-style bonsai. A striking true cypress piece titled Dragon in Repose, Phoenix at Ease stands out - with a tree age of 200 years. It not only adds greenery to the venue but also offers domestic and international guests a taste of the philosophical essence of Suzhou gardens without leaving the hall.
"It is not about shrinking nature, but about reorganizing the relationship between nature, time, and people within a limited space," said a representative from the Administration of the Humble Administrator's Garden under the Suzhou Gardens and Greening Administration Bureau. Through this international platform, the representative hopes to show Chinese and overseas guests that Suzhou gardens exist not only in their classical forms, but can also enter today's public cultural spaces through bonsai, furnishings, and contemporary expressions, becoming a gentle yet powerful language for Suzhou to connect with the world.
The APEC Trade Ministers' Meeting bridged millennia-old Gusu with global visitors, sparking many beautiful encounters. Outside the venue, guests strolled along Pingjiang Road, explored ancient alleys and the Couple's Garden Retreat, immersing themselves in the cultural-commerce-tourism fusion that defines the essence of Jiangnan. They toured the Humble Administrator's Garden to appreciate the Eastern aesthetic of creating heaven and earth within inches, and visited the ancient towns of Zhouzhuang and Tongli, where they took rowing boats, listened to pingtan and Kunqu opera, and experienced the water-town charm and Jiangnan lifestyle firsthand.
"When companies look for investment destinations, we always consider where we can build connections. In Suzhou, I truly feel the profound local culture, arts, and exquisite craftsmanship. This alone makes it easier for both sides to find common ground even before formal investment and business talks begin," said Flor Baeyens, Project Manager of the Benelux Chamber of Commerce in China.
"Suzhou is a city of innovation and opportunity. We opened our first physical store in Taicang in 1996, and Nike has continued to grow here, developing alongside Suzhou," said Jorge Casimiro, Nike's Chief Government Affairs and Public Policy Officer and Group Vice President, at the Asia-Pacific Business Leaders Partnership Dialogue and 2026 Suzhou Global Investment Promotion Conference. He praised Suzhou and reaffirmed Nike's commitment to further investment in the city. Thanks to its superior location and first-class business environment, Suzhou has become a key hub for Nike's operations in China. Since establishing its logistics center in Taicang in 2010, the company has increased efficiency fivefold, with total investment exceeding US$300 million and an annual handling capacity of over 180 million units.
Moreover, Suzhou is home to a ballet company, a symphony orchestra, and a traditional Chinese orchestra. It continues to attract top-tier domestic and international resources in education, healthcare, culture and sports, and has implemented a package of facilitation measures to improve the daily lives of foreign residents. For 14 consecutive years, Suzhou has been named "the most attractive Chinese city for foreign talent."
Cultural prosperity and economic dynamism complement each other, nurturing in Suzhou's people a spirit of bold action, effective execution, and relentless pursuit of excellence. With a history of 2,500 years, Suzhou now embraces the world with openness and inclusiveness, letting Chinese and international guests feel that a city's cultural charm is its best business environment.
Source: The 32nd Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Ministers Responsible for Trade Meeting
