When the inaugural APEC Study Centers Consortium Youth Scholars Forum convened at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen on May 7-8, it marked the first time in APEC's 37-year history that young scholars were given an independent, systematic platform for dialogue on regional cooperation.
The choice of Longgang district as the host location was no coincidence – it reflects a deep alignment between the forum's themes and the district's unique urban character.
Young scholars attend the inaugural APEC Study Centers Consortium (ASCC) Youth Scholars Forum at The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen in Longgang district on May 7.
Innovation is the main reason Longgang was chosen to host the forum. The district’s GDP surpassed 600 billion yuan (＄88.32 billion) during the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2020-25), with R&D spending reaching 14.9 percent of GDP – the highest in Shenzhen.
Home to the Shenzhen International University Park, which hosts HKUST(GZ)'s sister institution CUHK-Shenzhen and other international universities, the district has become a hub for AI research and tech commercialization. Forum participants toured BYD and the Shenzhen Institute of Artificial Intelligence and Robotics, experiencing firsthand the innovation ecosystem that Longgang offers.
The world's first robot 6S store, located in Longgang district.
International exchange is another major reason. CUHK-Shenzhen alone brings together over 1,000 international students from 41 countries. The district regularly hosts global cultural events, from the Belt and Road International Music Festival to the Longgang International Art Center, which recently introduced the Verbier Festival. This blend of academic and cultural internationalization made Longgang a natural fit.
The opening ceremony of the Longgang International Art Center and the premiere of the Verbier Music Festival in Shenzhen.
The district's commitment to youth was also a major selling point. Longgang has implemented a comprehensive support system covering affordable housing, startup loans, career training and free short-term accommodation for job-seeking graduates – precisely the kind of social protection and community belonging that forum participants identified as critical for empowering young people across the Asia-Pacific.
