Chengdu: Where Ancient Charm Meets the Digital Future
As China proudly hosts APEC 2026, the spotlight turns to one of its most dynamic and welcoming cities: Chengdu, capital of Sichuan Province. While the main leaders’ summit takes place elsewhere, Chengdu has been chosen to host APEC Digital Weeks 2026, a major platform focused on the digital economy, artificial intelligence, and innovation across the Asia-Pacific region.
This isn’t just a logistical choice. It’s a perfect match. Chengdu offers world-class infrastructure, a thriving innovation ecosystem, legendary hospitality, and a unique blend of millennia-old heritage with cutting-edge ambition. Here’s why this “Land of Abundance” is the ideal stage for APEC Digital Weeks 2026.
A City Built for Connection
Chengdu is one of China’s premier international transportation hubs. Its dual-airport system: featuring the state-of-the-art Chengdu Tianfu International Airport (opened in 2021) and the upgraded Shuangliu International Airport, handles tens of millions of passengers annually with ease. Tianfu alone is designed for 60 million passengers per year in its initial phase, with massive expansion potential, and serves as a key gateway linking western China to the rest of Asia and the world.
High-speed rail, metro lines, and integrated ground transport connect the airports directly to the city center and beyond. Delegates flying in from Tokyo, Seoul, Singapore, Sydney, or anywhere in the Asia-Pacific will find seamless arrivals and quick transfers to world-class hotels and conference venues.
As an “international hub city of integrated transportation,” Chengdu was made for high-profile international gatherings.
Innovation Powerhouse Ready for the Digital Age
APEC Digital Weeks is all about shaping the future of digital technology and AI. Chengdu is perfectly positioned for this conversation. The city is a national leader in sci-tech innovation, advanced manufacturing, and the digital economy. Its high-tech industrial development zone has become a powerhouse for strategic emerging industries. In 2025, Chengdu’s overall GDP reached 2.48 trillion yuan, ranking it among China’s top cities. It is actively building itself into a center for sci-tech innovation, international exchanges, and digital cultural industries. The city’s forward-looking “park city” vision combines green development with technological progress: exactly the kind of sustainable, people-centered innovation that APEC economies want to explore.
Chengdu isn’t just talking about the digital future: it’s living it, while staying rooted in its rich cultural soil.
A UNESCO City of Gastronomy That Welcomes the World
No discussion of Chengdu is complete without its food. As the first city in Asia designated a UNESCO City of Gastronomy, Chengdu is a global culinary capital. Sichuan cuisine, with its bold flavors, numbing Sichuan peppercorns, and fiery chilies, is famous worldwide. From legendary hotpot to street snacks like dandan noodles, mapo tofu, and spicy rabbit heads, every meal here is an experience.
For APEC delegates, this means not just world-class conference catering, but unforgettable evening banquets and cultural dinners that showcase Chinese hospitality at its finest. Food brings people together, and Chengdu does it better than almost anywhere.
Giant Pandas, Ancient Wisdom, and Natural Beauty
Chengdu is the closest major metropolis to the core habitat of giant pandas. The Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding is a must-visit for any international guest: a living symbol of China’s commitment to conservation and international cooperation.
Just outside the city, one can also find two UNESCO World Heritage sites: the ancient Dujiangyan Irrigation System (built over 2,200 years ago and still functioning today) and Mount Qingcheng, the birthplace of Taoism. These sites represent harmony between humans and nature: a powerful theme that resonates with APEC’s goals of sustainable development.
Imagine delegates stepping out of high-level digital economy sessions to visit a 2,000-year-old irrigation marvel or watch pandas play. That contrast: ancient wisdom meeting modern innovation, is uniquely Chengdu.
17 Years as China’s Happiest City
Beyond infrastructure and economy, Chengdu offers something rarer: genuine warmth and livability. It has been voted China’s Happiest City for 17 consecutive years. The city’s relaxed pace (“slow living” culture), teahouse tradition, and friendly locals create an environment where international visitors feel at home quickly. Chengdu is building a “livable city of high-quality life” and a “park city demonstration zone.” Green spaces, clean air (with stunning views of snow-capped mountains on clear days), excellent healthcare, and a vibrant arts and entertainment scene make it not just a great place to host an event, but a wonderful place to be.
Open, Inclusive, and Ready for the World Stage
As the official APEC 2026 site notes, Chengdu will “embrace guests from across the Asia-Pacific region with an open and inclusive spirit.” Building on its millennia-old cultural heritage, the city is eager to join hands with participants to envision and shape the future of digital technology and artificial intelligence. This is more than rhetoric. Chengdu’s long history as a trading and cultural crossroads (it was a key stop on the ancient Southern Silk Road) has prepared it perfectly for today’s global dialogue.
The Lasting Legacy
Hosting APEC Digital Weeks 2026 will further elevate Chengdu’s profile as an international metropolis. It will accelerate tourism, attract more investment in tech and digital industries, and strengthen people-to-people ties across the Asia-Pacific. For travelers and business visitors alike, it’s the perfect excuse to discover (or rediscover) one of China’s most charming and forward-looking cities.
Come for the Summit, Stay for the Magic
Whether you’re attending APEC Digital Weeks 2026 or simply planning a trip to Sichuan, Chengdu offers an unforgettable combination:
World-class connectivity and facilities
A booming innovation ecosystem
Legendary Sichuan cuisine
Iconic pandas and UNESCO heritage
Warm, happy, and welcoming people
A city that beautifully balances tradition with a bold vision for the future
Chengdu isn’t just ready to host APEC Digital Weeks 2026: it was made for it. Welcome to Chengdu.
The Land of Abundance is waiting to share its story and help write the next chapter of Asia-Pacific cooperation.
Amy Chen is a travel writer specializing in Sichuan culture, cuisine, and emerging destinations. For more on visiting Chengdu and Sichuan, explore Sichuan Travel Guide.