The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Data for Growth High-level Roundtable was held in Chengdu, Sichuan, China on July 25, 2026. APEC member economies reaffirm our shared commitment under the APEC Putrajaya Vision 2040 to build an open, dynamic, resilient and peaceful Asia-Pacific community by 2040, for the prosperity of all our people and future generations. We recognize that digital technologies present significant opportunities to foster innovation, enhance productivity, and promote economic growth and the vital role of data in supporting the development of digital technologies. We recognize the importance of strengthening regional cooperation to enhance the availability of data, remove barriers to digital services, and support data utilization^[1]. We also recognize the voluntary, non-binding, consensus-building principles of APEC. To better harness the value of data for innovation, productivity and economic growth, and to promote cooperation among member economies, including those that reflect the diverse needs of member economies, we endeavor to:

I. Foster an Open and Enabling Environment for Data Access and Use

— Strengthen policy dialogue, including through existing mechanisms, and the voluntary exchange of experiences, and promote the use, interoperability, accessibility and application of data while ensuring trust, security, data protection and privacy, and respect for intellectual property rights.

— Support an enabling policy environment to boost innovation and market confidence. We will also work to facilitate cross-border data flows, while strengthening business and consumer trust.

— Encourage multistakeholder engagement, including with policymakers, regulators, and businesses on data governance, with a view to promoting voluntary information sharing and interoperability across different approaches to data governance.

II. Strengthen Data-Driven Innovation and Application

— Facilitate the responsible use of data to support scientific research, technological innovation, industrial development and public service modernization. Foster data-driven innovation and economic growth, and promote the commercialization and application of emerging technologies, to harness its transformative potential.

— Support the enhancement of digital skills and innovation capabilities, enabling MSMEs and relevant stakeholders in all segments of our societies to better utilize digital tools and data resources to foster innovation and economic growth, including through capacity building and the voluntary sharing of information and best practices.

III. Deepen Cooperation on Data Connectivity

— Advance dialogue on the development of reliable, accessible, scalable, trusted, secure and resilient data infrastructure and improve interoperability among data systems to reduce fragmentation, avoid unnecessary data silos, and facilitate value creation of data resources across the region.

— Enhance communication and dialogues on cross-border data policies to foster understanding and trust among member economies.

— Support collaboration among businesses, research institutions and other stakeholders on relevant issues through experience-sharing and capacity building activities, to maximize the benefits of digitalization for our people.

Conclusion

We believe that, through sustained dialogue and cooperation, APEC can better harness the role of data in driving economic growth across the Asia-Pacific region. Member economies are encouraged to continue to exchange experiences, best practices and progress made in this regard, and explore potential areas of cooperation under the APEC framework, including through the Digital Economy Steering Group (DESG) and its subgroup the Data Privacy Subgroup (DPS), among others.