This year marks the APEC "China Year." The APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting will be held in Shenzhen, once again putting Guangdong and China in the global spotlight. In the first half of this year, Guangdong's foreign trade exceeded 5 trillion yuan for the first time, accounting for more than one-fifth of the national total. From the Maritime Pearl Road two thousand years ago, to the heyday of the Thirteen Hongs, and then to the rapid growth following China's reform and opening-up, Guangdong has remained at the forefront of China's engagement with the world.

Why has Guangdong's foreign trade stood the test of time? Zhang Yansheng, a researcher at the Chinese Academy of Macroeconomic Research, said that Guangdong faces the ocean and the high risks that come with it. Yet people in Guangdong are willing to take risks and rise to challenges. No market challenge can easily bring them down; instead, external competition and shocks drive entrepreneurs to work harder.

Since the launch of reform and opening-up, Guangdong has consistently played the role of a pioneer. In the first half of this year, Guangdong's foreign trade accounted for 21.6% of the national total, with the volume exceeding 5 trillion yuan. The figure is expected to surpass 10 trillion yuan for the full year. A province with annual foreign trade exceeding 10 trillion yuan would carry considerable weight on the global stage. Guangdong's thousand-year legacy of foreign trade has played an irreplaceable role in connecting China with the rest of the world.

"The 33rd APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting will be held in Shenzhen in November. The world should be allowed to see Shenzhen, Guangdong and China. I hope we can become more open not only in trade and economic cooperation, but also in people-to-people exchanges and the AI ecosystem, and attract more young people to China. How can you understand China without coming here?" Zhang Yansheng said.

APEC中国年：广东外贸为什么能够千年不衰？

今年是APEC中国年。APEC领导人非正式会议将在深圳举行，世界的目光将再次聚焦广东、聚焦中国。今年上半年，广东外贸首次突破5万亿元大关，占全国比重超过五分之一。从两千年前的“海上珍珠之路”，到十三行的繁华鼎盛，再到改革开放后的跨越式增长，广东始终站在中国与世界对话最前沿。

为什么广东外贸能够千年不衰？中国宏观经济研究院研究员张燕生表示，广东面向海洋，风险极高，敢闯敢拼，任何市场挑战都打不垮广东人，外部的竞争和冲击会让企业家更努力。

改革开放以来，广东始终扮演着一个先行者的角色。今年上半年广东外贸占全国21.6%，规模超过5万亿元。今年有望超过10万亿元，一个省一年外贸能超10万亿元，在全世界都是举足轻重的。广东外贸的千年历史传承，在中国、在世界都起到了不可替代的作用。

“11月亚太经合组织（APEC）第三十三次领导人非正式会议在深圳举办，要让世界看深圳、看广东、看中国。我期待不仅在经贸上更开放，在人文交流、人工智能生态上也更开放，吸引年轻人来中国。不来中国怎么读懂中国？”张燕生认为。

统筹｜刘佳宁
文｜记者 陈泽云 孙绮曼
图｜羊城派资料图
译｜魏薇
英文审校｜曾敏