Union Comm Launches New Book Engaging with APEC
From Understanding APEC to Engaging with APEC: Exploring New Pathways for Cities and Businesses to Participate in Asia-Pacific Cooperation
Union Communications Hong Kong Limited (“Union Comm”), a leading Hong Kong-based policy advocacy and communications consultancy, has launched the Simplified Chinese edition of a new book, Engaging with APEC: International Cooperation and Communication Practices of Chinese Cities and Enterprises.
The book is co-authored by Sam Han, Partner at Union Comm and PhD researcher in Political Communication at Shenzhen University, and Dr. Du Huizhen, Associate Professor at the School of Journalism and Communication, Guangdong University of Foreign Studies. It is published by Nanfang Daily Press.
2026 marks China’s APEC host year, with the 33rd APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting to be held in Shenzhen in November. Rather than focusing solely on the major meeting itself, the book explores a longer-term question: after cities and businesses begin to understand APEC, how can they identify meaningful connections with APEC priorities, projects and cooperation networks, and move from simply “understanding APEC” to actively “engaging with APEC”?
The book follows a practical framework of “understanding the mechanism – identifying the issues – finding the connection – building cooperation.” It introduces APEC’s development, operating mechanisms and key policy priorities, while examining how cities and businesses can translate local practices into issues of regional relevance and participate in Asia-Pacific cooperation through research, case sharing, capacity building, project cooperation and international communications.
A key argument of the book is that participation in APEC should go beyond showcasing local achievements. Cities need to consider which shared Asia-Pacific challenges their practices address, what lessons may be adaptable to other economies, and why cross-economy cooperation is necessary.
For businesses, the book proposes a four-stage pathway: Business Capability → Application Scenario → Public Value → Regional Cooperation
This framework encourages companies to move beyond the market value of products and technologies and consider how their experience can contribute to wider regional cooperation.
Sharing How Cities and Businesses Can Truly Engage with APEC in Shenzhen’s Longhua District
On 6 November, a thematic exchange and book donation ceremony on “International Cooperation and Communication Practices of Chinese Cities and Enterprises” was held at the Shenzhen (Longhua) International Cooperation Center.
During the event, Han shared practical observations on APEC mechanisms, regional cooperation priorities, and how cities and businesses can engage more substantively with APEC.
He noted that participating in APEC is not limited to attending a conference or joining a one-off event. Areas including science and technology innovation, the digital economy, artificial intelligence, green and low-carbon development, MSME development, women’s economic participation and demographic change are already supported by various APEC working mechanisms and project channels.
Longhua provides a useful example. Its local practices in technology innovation, low-carbon development and digital applications can be connected with APEC priorities such as green transformation, innovation and resilience.
Through research, case studies, workshops, capacity building and demonstration projects, a local practice can potentially evolve into a regional cooperation resource that other APEC economies can examine, compare, adapt and participate in.
A book donation ceremony was also held during the event. Copies of Engaging with APEC were donated to the Shenzhen (Longhua) International Cooperation Center, with the aim of enabling more businesses and members of the public to better understand APEC and opportunities for Asia-Pacific cooperation through the Center’s public engagement and business service platforms.
Extensive Media Coverage
The launch of the book and the thematic exchange in Shenzhen’s Longhua District received coverage from a range of media outlets, including CCTV.com, Shenzhen Special Zone Daily / Dute News, Hong Kong Commercial Daily, Nanfang Plus, Sina Finance, and Yangcheng Evening News.
The coverage highlighted several themes explored in the book, including practical pathways for cities and businesses to participate in APEC, how Shenzhen and Longhua can translate local industrial practices into regional cooperation resources, and how one-off APEC participation can be extended into research, pilot projects and longer-term cooperation networks.
Han said:
“We hope the book can first help more people understand APEC — what it is and what issues it is focusing on — and then help them identify an appropriate entry point to engage more meaningfully with APEC. More importantly, after the meetings are over, the real question is whether cities and businesses can remain connected to regional cooperation networks and turn the attention and resources generated by a major international event into long-term cooperation capacity.”
Shenzhen (Longhua) International Cooperation Center Hosts Exchange and Book Donation Event to Strengthen Asia-Pacific Cooperation
Shenzhen Special Zone Daily / Dute News
How Can Cities and Businesses Truly “Engage with APEC”? A New Book Offers Practical Insights
Hong Kong Commercial Daily
Shenzhen (Longhua) International Cooperation Center Hosts Thematic Exchange and Book Donation Ceremony
Nanfang Plus
Practical Pathways for Cities and Businesses to Engage with APEC: Nanfang Daily Press Launches Engaging with APEC
Union Comm has long focused on digital inclusion, technology for good, sustainability, gender equality and MSME development, while contributing to research, policy advocacy, capacity building and international communications under APEC and other multilateral cooperation frameworks.
The publication of Engaging with APEC brings together years of practical experience and communications research, with the aim of providing cities, businesses and institutions with a practical reference for deeper participation in Asia-Pacific regional cooperation.
About the Book
Title: Engaging with APEC: International Cooperation and Communication Practices of Chinese Cities and Enterprises
Chinese Title: 《走進APEC：中國城市與企業的國際合作與傳播實踐》
Authors: Sam Han and Dr. Du Huizhen
Publisher: Nanfang Daily Press
Publication: October, 2026
Edition: Simplified Chinese
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