"Physical artificial intelligence (AI) and humanoids (human-like robots) mean Baidu Smart Cloud"
"Huoshan Engine, your AI cloud"
"AI innovation for corporations means Huawei Cloud"
On the 3rd in Shenzhen, Guangdong province in southern China. The first thing that stood out upon arriving at Bao'an International Airport was a large advertisement covering the entire wall. Slogans for AI cloud services from China's leading big tech corporations such as Baidu, ByteDance Ltd., and Huawei filled the billboards.
Shenzhen is called the Silicon Valley of China, where heavyweight tech corporations cluster. Because of this, there are more business travelers than ordinary tourists at the airport, and competition for business-to-business (B2B) services aimed at them occupied key areas of the arrivals level. Instead of major tourist attractions or consumer goods, AI had become the airport's face.
Leaving the airport and heading into the city, a black drone carrying a box caught the eye against the blue sky. It was presumed to be for parcel delivery or food delivery. It contrasted with Beijing, where drone flights are strictly banned across the city.
Shenzhen is home to the headquarters of DJI, the world's largest drone maker, and Meituan, China's largest delivery platform, is currently operating drone delivery services in major parks in Shenzhen. When a user orders food through the Meituan app, a drone lands on a dedicated machine similar to an unmanned parcel locker installed in the park and drops off the food. Scanning a QR code opens the locker door.
In the downtown area, a scene of a cleaning robot sweeping the sidewalk was also observed. Encountering cleaning robots in indoor shopping malls or airports is no longer unfamiliar, but even outdoor sanitation had been automated. A sensor that appeared to perceive the surrounding environment was mounted on top of the robot, and the cleaning robot swept the ground as it navigated the sidewalk on its own using Autonomous Driving. AI technology has moved beyond exhibition halls to become part of real urban infrastructure.
Shenzhen is considered a symbol of China's reform and opening. Since being designated China's first special economic zone in 1980, Shenzhen has transformed from a small fishing village into a high-tech industrial city of 18 million people. Technology corporations representing China, such as Huawei, Tencent, DJI, and BYD, grew here and have made Shenzhen the country's hub of advanced technology today.
In November, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit will be held in Shenzhen. It will be the first time in 12 years that China hosts APEC, since Beijing in 2014. China has set this year's APEC theme as building an Asia-Pacific community and promoting shared prosperity.
On the 4th, about five months before APEC, the area around the Futian District International Exchange Center was in the midst of construction, reeking of diesel. The main gate entrance was blocked, and signs reading "Pedestrians, detour" were set up on the sidewalk. Security guards at the main gate also tried to stop photography.
The road in front of the main gate was restricted to leave only one lane open in each direction. Work was underway to tear up and refurbish the existing road all the way to the other side, and landscaping trees were being newly planted at various points along the sidewalk. A dozen or so excavators removed soil and concrete, and trucks and heavy equipment vehicles came and went without a break.
In areas near the venue and major downtown districts, large billboards and banners reading "APEC China 2026" were easy to spot. The billboards and banners read, "The promise to head to Shenzhen makes a beautiful Asia-Pacific."
Meanwhile, this year's APEC summit is expected to be held in early to mid-November. Chinese President Xi Jinping, as well as leaders and government delegations from the 21 member economies including the United States, Korea, and Japan, and global corporations are expected to attend. China plans to focus discussions on agendas such as the digital economy, AI, supply chain stabilization, and green transition.
Ma Zhaoxu, vice minister at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, presented openness, innovation, and cooperation as three priorities at the APEC Informal Senior Officials' Meeting (ISOM) held in Shenzhen in December last year, saying, "Shenzhen is a globally recognized innovation hub," and added, "China is ready to share its experience in technological innovation and development with partners and contribute to the region's innovation-driven growth."