As the Republic of Korea (ROK) prepares to host the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders’ Meeting this week, with China set to take the helm next year, there is a growing sense of optimism among officials, scholars, and business leaders. They believe that the success of these consecutive events will significantly bolster free trade, economic growth, and governance across the Asia-Pacific region. The historic city of Gyeongju, once the capital of the ancient Silla Dynasty, will serve as the venue for this year’s meeting, focusing on critical themes such as sustainability, digital transformation, and trade cooperation. Park Jang-ho, director of the APEC Preparation and Support Office, highlighted Gyeongju’s selection due to its cultural heritage, historical significance, and state-of-the-art facilities. He also noted that the ROK plans to showcase its advancements in cutting-edge technologies, with prominent figures like Tesla CEO Elon Musk expected to attend. Park emphasized the deep-rooted historical ties between China and the ROK, underscoring the ROK’s commitment to strengthening bilateral relations. He remarked, ‘Hosting the APEC meeting in Gyeongju is highly significant, and with China assuming the APEC presidency next year, the interactions between our two nations will become even more frequent, further enhancing our bilateral ties.’ Recent months have seen a series of high-level exchanges between the two countries, covering key areas such as APEC collaboration and bilateral cooperation. During a recent phone conversation, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and his ROK counterpart Cho Hyun expressed mutual support and a shared commitment to fostering consensus among various stakeholders. Both nations are expected to reinforce their solidarity, uphold the international trading system, champion multilateralism, and accelerate the establishment of a free trade area in the Asia-Pacific region, contributing positively to the creation of an Asia-Pacific community.