From BYD cars to DJI drones, Guangdong showcases tech prowess ahead of Apec summit

As Shenzhen prepares for the November Apec summit, Guangdong province highlights its technological prowess through a plethora of hi-tech products displayed at the Asia-Pacific Media Forum. The event showcased BYD cars, DJI drones, and AI products from Tencent Holdings, as well as smartphones from Honor and Vivo. Media representatives were given a chance to tour six cities, visiting the headquarters and factories of companies such as BYD, Midea Group, and Oppo.

The South China Morning Post visited BYD, the world's leading electric car manufacturer in terms of deliveries, where they witnessed their latest new energy and automotive technology. Other Shenzhen-based and neighboring firms demonstrated the smart products China is known for. Guangdong's party secretary, Huang Kunming, highlighted the province's unique advantage in its closeness to Hong Kong and Macau, positioning it as a "vanguard" for China's reform and opening-up.

In the first half of this year, Guangdong's trade with other Apec economies increased by 21%, reaching nearly 3.6 trillion yuan (US$536.3 billion), accounting for 65% of its total imports and exports. Shenzhen will host the third Apec Economic Leaders' Meeting, following Shanghai in 2001 and Beijing in 2014. Preparations for the summit, set to take place on November 18-19, are underway, with slogans like "Shenzhen in action" and "Let's gather in Shenzhen for a prosperous Asia-Pacific Region" displayed throughout the city.

The summit may see a trilateral meeting between President Xi Jinping, U.S. President Donald Trump, and Russian President Vladimir Putin, according to a key foreign policy adviser to the Kremlin, Yuri Ushakov.