At an event in Chengdu as part of the 2026 APEC Digital and AI Ministerial Meeting, Asia-Pacific economies have placed data at the centre of their regional growth agenda, calling for closer cooperation to ensure that digital information can move securely across borders and be used to support innovation, trade and public services.
Representatives of the 21-member Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum made the commitment at a high-level roundtable held July 25 in Chengdu, the capital of China’s southwestern Sichuan province. In a chair’s statement released after the meeting, participants described data as a vital resource for technological development, productivity and economic growth.
The statement did not create binding obligations, consistent with APEC’s consensus-based approach. It nevertheless marked an important attempt to establish common ground among economies with sharply different laws governing privacy, cybersecurity, national security and the control of digital information.
Officials agreed that stronger regional cooperation could improve access to data, remove unnecessary barriers to digital services and encourage wider use of information by businesses, researchers and governments. They also acknowledged that such efforts must protect personal information, intellectual property and commercially sensitive material.
The challenge facing APEC is to reconcile the economic benefits of connected digital markets with growing demands for national control over information. Cloud computing, artificial intelligence, online payments and digitally managed supply chains depend on data moving between jurisdictions, often in real time. Governments, however, remain concerned that unrestricted transfers could expose citizens and businesses to surveillance, fraud, cyberattacks or misuse.
APEC Seeks Common Ground on Data Rules
The Chengdu statement called for an “open and enabling environment” for data access and use, supported by greater dialogue among governments, regulators and businesses. It encouraged APEC members to improve interoperability between different regulatory systems rather than attempt to impose a single regional legal model.
That approach reflects the diversity of the organisation, which includes the United States, China, Japan, Russia, Australia, Mexico and several Southeast Asian economies. Some members favour relatively open cross-border transfers backed by corporate accountability, while others require certain categories of information to be stored or processed domestically.
APEC said economies should exchange experiences voluntarily and seek areas in which their privacy and security systems can work together. Such compatibility is increasingly important for multinational companies that may otherwise be required to maintain separate data systems, contracts and compliance procedures in every market.
The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development has warned that a fragmented regulatory landscape can create substantial costs. It estimates that requirements to store or process data domestically can increase data-management expenses by between 15% and 55%, with costs frequently passed on to customers and smaller companies.
OECD analysis also suggests that neither unrestricted data movement nor blanket localisation provides the best economic outcome. Its research indicates that systems combining cross-border transfers with credible safeguards can strengthen trust while supporting trade. If widely adopted, such arrangements could increase global gross domestic product by 1.77% and exports by 3.6%, according to the organisation.
APEC has worked on the issue for years through its Internet and Digital Economy Roadmap, which promotes digital infrastructure, regulatory cooperation, online security and the free flow of information under domestic laws. The latest initiative seeks to build on that work as artificial intelligence sharply increases demand for large, reliable and diverse datasets.
Small Businesses Risk Being Left Behind
The roundtable placed particular emphasis on micro, small and medium-sized enterprises, which account for most businesses in many APEC economies but often lack the legal, technical and financial resources needed to operate across digital borders.
Large technology companies can employ international compliance teams and invest in secure cloud infrastructure. A small exporter, software developer or online retailer may struggle to understand which information can be collected, where it may be stored and whether it can be transferred to overseas customers or service providers.
Officials called for capacity-building programmes, shared best practices and improved digital skills to help smaller companies use data more effectively. Such assistance could include model contracts, clearer regulatory guidance, cybersecurity training and access to trusted digital platforms.
The issue has become more urgent as social commerce, livestream shopping and digital payment services create new export opportunities. APEC officials meeting in Guangzhou earlier this year said those business models were reshaping cross-border trade while raising new questions about consumer protection, market oversight and online safety.
Developing economies also face broader infrastructure gaps. Reliable broadband networks, secure data centres and skilled workforces remain unevenly distributed across the region. Without investment in those foundations, the commercial value of data may remain concentrated in the most technologically advanced markets and among the largest companies.
APEC said cooperation should therefore address not only regulation but also reliable, scalable and resilient infrastructure. Participants called for better connections between data systems, fewer unnecessary silos and closer collaboration among companies, universities and research institutions.
Voluntary Framework Faces Political Obstacles
The Chengdu statement offers broad principles rather than a detailed enforcement mechanism. It does not determine which data should be allowed to cross borders or when governments may impose restrictions. It also notes that differing views were expressed during the meeting, signalling that significant political disagreements remain.
National security is likely to be the most difficult issue. Governments increasingly treat data as a strategic asset linked to artificial intelligence, financial stability and critical infrastructure. Restrictions that one country describes as necessary safeguards may be viewed by trading partners as protectionism or disguised barriers to digital commerce.
APEC’s immediate task will be to turn its general commitments into practical cooperation through its Digital Economy Steering Group and Data Privacy Subgroup. Possible areas include common technical standards, privacy-enhancing technologies, voluntary certification systems and projects demonstrating how information can be shared securely in sectors such as logistics, finance, health and scientific research.
The economic stakes are substantial. APEC estimates that the digital economy represents as much as 15.5% of global output and that digitally enabled platforms could generate about 70% of new economic value over the coming decade.
Whether the Chengdu initiative delivers meaningful progress will depend on the willingness of governments to make their systems compatible without surrendering domestic authority. For now, APEC economies have agreed on the central principle: Data can drive regional growth, but only if businesses and consumers trust the rules governing how it is collected, transferred and used.
