Hello, welcome to Roundtable where we serve up piping hot debates on the issues that sizzle in China and beyond.
In a world where global cooperation is constantly being redefined, the Asia-Pacific region stands at the crossroads of innovation, sustainability and shared growth.
As the 2025 APEC summit about to open in South Korea, attention is turning to the power of youth, how they are driving growth, innovation and cross-border collaboration across one of the world's most dynamic regions.
From today on we are having a special APAC Youth Series exploring how a new generation is reshaping the region.
Across these conversations, we follow young changemakers who are transforming the meaning of development in the Asia-Pacific.
Now grab your virtual compass and follow us to the heart of the discussion.
Once, APEC was mostly about trade ministers and state leaders.
Today, the pause of its meetings increasingly comes from young entrepreneurs.
They are redefining what Asia-Pacific cooperation means, not only through policy papers, but through startups, innovation and shared ambitions that stretch from Shanghai to Sydney.
For today's show.
I earlier spoke to Lu Xiao Ning, co-founder of the Asia Pacific Entrepreneurs Annual Forum, and we talked a lot about youth entrepreneurship.
Thank you so much for coming to the show.
And would you like to tell us more about you?
Sure, of course.
So thanks for inviting me here.
So my name is Shaoning Liu.
I'm from China, actually born in Qingdao.
But right now I live between now so I'm Europe, so in Italy and China.
So I'm the co-founder for the Asia Pacific Entrepreneur Annual Forum.
So basically, we build up this platform for the young entrepreneurs across Asia Pacific region, but also not only, but also for example, from Europe, from other parts of the world, etc.
To connect with each other, to exchange ideas and to expand their businesses.
So each year we have one of our most important events during the time of APAC in the country that APAC has been hosted.
So this year, for example, we'll have our annual forum in Busan on the 1st of November.
That invites a lot of young entrepreneurs from different parts of the world to participate.
So yes, so this is a little bit about me and about my organization.
I'm curious about your APAC story.
Did you found your organization first or did you have a relationship with APAC and then you realize it can be a good platform for young people?
Because definitely that's true.
And we're going to dig into that part of the story a bit later.
But what is APAC? the starting point of you and APAC?
Of course.
Actually, it started, let's say, almost seven years ago in 2018.
So that was my first time participating in APAC.
That year was in Papua New Guinea.
Um so um that year actually, i participated as um the organizing um team of voices of apac, voices of the future china team.
So basically we selected um 10 um best um young talents, um from i think at the time we have over 100 000 applicants, and then we selected 10 of them to participate in APEC with us, actually also with our ambassador at the time, Ms.
Yao Chen and we were in Papua New Guinea.
We were together with the delegates from the 21 different economies.
That was a fabulous memory.
And starting from then, I think little by little, from a participant, I changed my role into an organizer as well.
And that borns also right now what we have, the APR organization.
We say that the APEC summit and the entire mechanism is a very important occasion so that leaders can get together, they can talk about the development original development and sometimes even discussion global development from the economic front, from some other sides as well and yes, it is important for them.
But at the same time, we see it evolving into this forum.
In the very beginning it's centering economics, but now It is a platform talking about a lot of different issues and it's already something that we look forward to every year.
We want to see what are some initiatives government leaders, head of states bring to the occasion.
So you've attended the summit several times.
Have you noticed any changes, major changes or even just small, tiny details that got your attention, that you want to talk about, especially the upcoming one?
Do you have any anticipation about the upcoming one?
Of course, of course actually.
I think this is the the fourth summit that um, i'm here with a pack.
The first is 2018 in papua new guinea, and then we have almost the covet long period, and then i was there in san francisco back two years ago.
Last year in peru, in lima, and this year here in uh in Korea, in Qingzhou.
So actually, I've noticed a few changes.
And for me it's a positive change in terms of who is speaking, what they are speaking about, et cetera.
First of all, the group of people that I put the most attention is young entrepreneur, of course, because this is also related to what I'm doing.
I see the topic of their speech gradually changed several years ago about five, six years ago, when I just participated the first time APAC a lot of young entrepreneurs are talking about digital innovation.
And of course, this is still a very important point now.
But now I see more and more people speaking also about sustainable growth, about social impact, social entrepreneurship.
So this is something that I see.
That is one of the big change that I perceive because also, I think in the past years, a lot of times in the whole overall theme of APAC, people talk about inclusive growth a lot, um.
So, speaking about that, that's the second point, um which i noticed, which is there's a lot of more um, let's see inclusive collaboration, and it's not about just one country learn from another developing country, learn from the developed country, but also it's um, it's all around, meaning that everybody is learning from everybody because, for example um, even for businesses that come from a developed country, they have to expand to um, the other part of the world.
They have to understand what is the local regulation, what is the local consumers behavior, etc.
So there's a lot of what i see, co-innovation that is happening.
And the last point that i want to mention is i see there's a lot of female entrepreneur and female executives that are appearing on the stage, which for me, is also very, very positive and encouraging news.
That's very exciting and very glad to see that these kind of changes are happening on the APAC platform.
But I think it's happening not only in APAC summits, but also around the world in different occasions.
So you are...
Kind of a perfect guest for this episode, because in this episode I want to talk about the relationship between APEC Summit, or the APEC Entire Framework and Young Entrepreneurs Program, exploring opportunities and finding challenges, yet dealing with the challenges within the APEC framework.
So let's start from the young entrepreneur side.
As a Chinese person, also the co-founder of the APEA, do you think that there are what are some major opportunities as well as challenges young Chinese entrepreneurs face within the APEC Summit, or just in general, when they're going global, when they're doing business?
What are some major opportunities, trends, challenges you observe?
Of course, I think only talk about challenges.
Challenges are always also opportunities and opportunities can also be challenges.
So what I see this this I think three topic that is quite promising.
That's the opportunities across the region.
The first is of course, the green transformation or the sustainable growth.
This.
I think, of course, this is because more and more we realize how important it is the environment, not only just to, let's say, to the sustainability itself, but also to the long-term growth.
So I think this topic about sustainable renewable energy about, for example, the carbon footprint, etc.
So this is a topic that some in all different countries, everybody's talking about, but people also are learning from each other how to do different things.
So, for example, in China, I know there's a company called Tanzuchi, which is a company that is invited, invested by the, the Sequoia Capital.
And they are basically also, let's say, exporting what we're good at doing, which is utilizing the technology and artificial intelligence to calculate the carbon footprint, also to, for example, the Southeast Asia countries, etc.
And the second field of opportunity that I see is, of course, generative AI.
And I think nowadays everybody is talking about how generative AI, of course, on the one hand, is creating a huge market.
A huge market let's see prospect in the capital market.
But also people are discussing, you know what could be the potential risk, what could be, for example, you know, maybe it can replace human, maybe it can cause the unemployment, etc.
But I see people are discussing and trying to learn from each other how to do this across different countries.
And, of course, the third opportunity that I see, because it's more and more, let's see, not only in the developed country.
Also in the developed country, everybody is producing their own products, their authentic products.
So in this way, this cross-border e-commerce becomes also more and more important, with also all the new tools.
Not only before.
We have things like eBay, we have things like Alibaba, but now we have for example also TikTok.
We have also all those live streaming tools.
So I think this is also a new field of business that people are learning from each other how to do.
And of course the challenges are there as well.
So for example, different market have a very different business culture, have different regulation.
There are some market that have very high entry barrier.
There's some country that have a very high trust society.
So how do you enter those kind of market?
How do you have a good local team?
How do you have a global team that can communicate and localizing different market and how to build a branding that's, for example, you could be super successful already in your local market, but how do you build up another brand in another market that doesn't know you are?
Maybe because of some geopolitical reason, maybe they have a not very positive image about you.
So how do you, you know, rebuild the image?
How do you gain the trust from the consumers, etc.
So those are a lot of topics that are often discussed.
That is very well said.
And when it comes to the opportunities you mentioned, not only are they quite trendy in the Chinese market these days, they are also intertwined with each other.
I have interviewed someone who's the founder of a company, a artificial intelligence related company, and their major task is to use AI to help companies and help entities to track AI their footprints of carbon.
And they are trying to minimize the carbon they emit.
They try to streamline their processes and even help them with the kind of computing process so that they can lower their digital carbon emission.
And See, like you said, AI and carbon they are definitely linked with each other.
And, at the same time, when it comes to the challenges you mentioned, one of the challenges is, in your opinion, barriers of different places and different markets.
Do you think the APEC framework or the APEC overall summit are helping with that.
Any examples you've experienced?
Of course, of course.
I mean, I think one of the most important reason APEC exists is to basically lower the barrier of the market entry, of the collaboration across this whole region.
So I know that APEC is working a lot in terms of how to basically connect better, how to make the trade within the region easier.
Also, for example, the easier registration processes for the trade company across countries.
And, of course, for the easiest example that everybody know, we have this APEC travel card, that if you have, then you don't have to apply for visa.
I mean, for example, it could take one month to apply for a visa to a country that if you have an urgent business meeting, it could become a real problem.
So, of course, I think there's a lot of very concrete policies that are being made But, to talk about specifically also, youth entrepreneurship, I know there's a lot of initiatives that are encouraging the young entrepreneurs, giving them funding, giving them mentorship, giving them a lot of different resources um to develop business not only in their own country, but across the asia pacific and, of course, what we're doing right now as apia is also one of the initiative that we would like, because we see youth entrepreneurship is one of the most important element, because When you are young, you are more innovative, you are more open to the new opportunity, to the new changes.
So we recognize the importance of this topic and we join the efforts together with this whole region let's put it this way to enhance the youth entrepreneurship.
I'm curious, how do you help people in your organization to understand better the policy?
Because we know that, for instance, China joined the RCEP, the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, which is a major partnership Since, when we have it, there are so many different relationship China can forge with other countries.
For example, after the RCEP took effect, China and Japan established a free trade relationship for the very first time, and tariffs on products such as Japanese imported sake, electrical appliances all these things are within this policy, meaning that the tariff goes down significantly and that promoted regional trade.
And as for this year, we know, Korea is hosting the APEC and there is a unified rules of origin within the RCEP.
And that means that, for example, When a Chinese automobile manufacturer uses steel from Japan and rubber from Malaysia and the finished cars exported to South Korea, for example, it can more easily meet original criteria and enjoy tariff preferences.
And these things are quite technical from well, from my point of view, because I'm not a young entrepreneur, but for young entrepreneurs, it's important for them to know these.
When they know these, they can take advantage of these policies.
They can find better opportunities.
So do you think There are enough education of these policies, or is your organization helping young entrepreneurs knowing the preferential policies within the APEC area, within the Asia Pacific region?
Of course, of course, you give a very, very good examples.
So a technical policy like this, let's see, I think would be well known within the industry, because within the industry, especially if they have to export, they deal with all those kinds of policy all the time.
I think in general if, for example, you have a family business that have been doing this for years, then I think it's easier for you to know.
But let's say, if you are a newcomer, you want to do certain business regarding, I don't know automotive, regarding digital business.
I think maybe it will take a little bit of time.
Let's see for the entrepreneurs to understand, at least to understand what is there and then to understand how they can be part of this, how they can enjoy the benefits, etc.
So of course I mean there's good amount of education, there's a lot of policy promotion, but in the end there could always be more.
And I think this is also part of the reason that we have API there, because Actually this year our forum later, I think six days later, first of November in Bursa, we invited also the executive director of APAC.
We invited also the director of the international secretariat of the APAC apec business advisory council.
So basically, all those important key person within apec framework will come and tell them what they think, not just about the business but specifically about how they want to encourage the young people to be part of um.
You know this apec um, that's the inclusive growth.
And i give another example because actually back in august we invited mr antonio basilio, who is the director of international secretary of the apec business advisory council, come to china actually, and we were received by um, a few um, the official delegation in Hubei province, in Shanghai, in Kunshan, etc.
And there, every stop that we have, we have a little conference, we have a little forum, we talk about how APEC is encouraging youth entrepreneurship.
We do even also invite, for example, the entrepreneurs from italy, from america, from different regions.
They come to china.
They try to understand what they have.
There's one story that i wanted to share, because i think in china we have a lot of this kind of um science park or this base that we call it counter factory, you know.
So, for example, there's a lot of live streamers that are trying to promote the good authentic, local products.
But this is something that is not so popular, let's say, in a lot of European-American countries.
But they understand that this is a super efficient way to sell the product, to basically, using the technology, you can target exactly the precise customer that you want.
So one of our American entrepreneurs, after he visited this um, this content factory in near the ejo airport, he becomes super excited and he went back to america and started to introduce this new method to a lot of american food producer, because also we, you know, import a lot of interesting um food brand um so yeah, so right now they are discussing already how to basically using this new method to bring more good product into china, but also to bring more good product from china to other part of the world.
I think it's a great example of what you said about learning from each other, cooperating not only one side teaching the other side.
So I'm curious.
In your experience.
You must have experienced the situation where a young entrepreneur may be new to the business, not knowing a lot, in the sense that they're not mature, not experienced, yet they have really good ideas and they speak at the summit and they inspire inspire everybody.
Is there such cases?
Do you think it's important for young people, young entrepreneurs, to speak out, to have their voices heard in major international occasions?
Of course, of course, I think this is super important.
I think, starting from the past years, a lot of international organizations start to give young people more and more voice.
So, for example, use one of the most important international organizations, the United Nations.
I think they started to have this youth office back three years ago and they started to appoint Under Secretary General of the UN Youth Office.
So basically now, within the very, very high level of the leadership of the UN, there is the young people that represent the voice of the youth, and the same is with apec, the same with g20, the same with oecd, etc.
So i think more and more people realize that it's not just important, because usually if you are in those important organization or important company, when you go to the very senior level, you're age is already there.
And I think most of the wise senior executives, they know that, yes, their experience is important.
Yes, their wisdom is important.
But then there's always chances to learn from the new time.
There's always the chance to learn from the younger generation.
So, yes, I see a lot of trends. that is happening regarding this.
I can make sure one of the example of a member of the organization that we have and because of APS, let's see event activity.
It started to expand her family business.
So this is a company that does the lighting OEM, ODM in the Guangdong province.
Before the pandemic.
They have about, I think, 100 million euro um level of the business each year, so annual revenue.
So basically what they do is they do the oem odm for the important lighting brand, for e-care, for example, for all the other the lighting um brands.
But at that time most of the business come from the fact that basically, we have cheaper labor, we have the cheaper cost.
And that's how they get this business.
And then in the past five to ten years they didn't have any new clients from the West, because they little by little will have higher labor costs as well and they start to lose this kind of stress.
But because of APR, because she also come to visit in europe, in italy, american attended a lot of events and start to, little by little, understand what is the mentality of the of the brands um in the european american market and how to promote, not just as a, let's say, low-cost supplier, but also as someone that provides this technological stress, also as someone who provide and produce this kind of authentic product with some chinese creativity, so with all those new elements combined together, actually because of our help.
Now she's already talking with the head of procurement of several different brands um in america and in european countries.
So i think maybe this is a story that i want to share And I think within the past years, little by little, where our young entrepreneurs are switching this mentality from selling the product of the cheaper one to selling our product, have a unique value proposition, have something unique about the made in China, something unique about our authenticity and creativity.
So this is something that I want to share.
Yes, I've seen this trend in a lot of different industries.
Many factories at the very beginning, they only produce the kind of product for other major brands.
But, like you said, from made in China to create in China.
They are now creating their own brands and put their name on the maps.
Well, on top of following or, instead of, in the previous years, following the lead of the leadership in the company, they are becoming the leadership and guiding it to the modern mold, which is Very, very promising.
And at the same time, I cannot stress or cannot forget what you stressed about the two way communication.
And we see that China has always been advocating for free trade agreement of the Asia Pacific.
We have always been focusing on trying, managing in a lot of different cases to have people have the entire region develop together and do business together.
And that is not only for Chinese young entrepreneurs to go globe or go to other Asian countries to do business, but also we are inviting overseas business to Chinese market, and the environment of doing business here in China is also getting improved.
We see more and more not only brands but more importantly, factories and companies coming into China.
I've heard that they just recently launched the key visa for the overseas talent to come to China.
I think this is a very, very good point, because I started to live between China and abroad starting from 10 years ago.
So I live in America in China.
Germany, Argentina, Italy, so in a few different countries and places.
And I feel more and more stronger and stronger the curiosity, the passion, the appreciation of the foreigners, especially foreign entrepreneurs, towards China.
They are curious about what we are doing, why we can build up this economy you know, from very um later at the beginning huge in such short time.
We have all those technological innovations that are exporting all over the world and we can have all those interesting cultural elements.
Because i think for the foreigners, when they think about china, now is two very important topic.
One is technology, digital technology.
Another is chinese culture.
So i think there's more and more um curiosity, there's more and more exploration towards the chinese market and, of course, i think this is already the second wave, because back 20, 10 years ago, when let's see um, china's economy becomes stronger and stronger, there's already one round of brands that have entered china and have explored, some of them successfully, stayed.
They respect the chinese culture, they really um, you know, interact with the customer in a very well way, and some retreats because maybe they didn't understand, maybe they didn't succeed, etc.
But now definitely i see a second round coming and i see china is embracing this trend in a very open and very inclusive way.
And I think people feel it from abroad as well.
For this time you are attending the APEC summit, did you bring any specific initiative?
Or is there any of your own agenda you're bringing to the APEC?
Of course, API is the important project or initiative that we bring here, because right now, I think under the AIPAC umbrella there's a lot of let's see initiatives that are related to youth entrepreneurship, but we want to set up something that is a more longer term, more um let's say regular, and have a more um, let's see clear structure that can basically help and facilitate the exchange of young entrepreneurs across the region.
So this is the reason that um i come here and also the reason that we're gonna have this um forum later and we're gonna also have some local company visits to bring those asian entrepreneurs, including chinese japanese philippines, etc.
To those local korean companies to understand what they are doing.
For example, here in Busan, one of the most important industries is the shipping industry.
So I think on November 2nd in the afternoon we're going to go on one of the ferries to understand how they are made, to understand this industry, to also have a dinner there, which is also a very good experience.
But yes, this is something we're bringing also to the participants.
Any advice for those who are still trying to find their business, find their passion, start their own company, their own business, but finding it a little bit hard to do so.
I think maybe one of the key point I want to stress we are slightly little by little change our narrative.
So I think it's important to let the world see your story, not just your product.
So to tell them what you are building, why you are building, what is the meaning of the product, what is the meaning of the business, what you are trying to achieve.
I think story is something that really touches people.
And when you have a good brand, everything else will become easier.
Thank you so much and good luck with everything in South Korea.
That was Lu Xiaoning, co-founder of the Asia-Pacific Entrepreneurs' Annual Forum.
From green startups to digital innovations, today's young founders are showing that success in the Asia-Pacific isn't just about scale.
It's about sensitivity to cultures, to sustainability, to shared futures.
That may well be the new definition of leadership.
