Which major global economic summit was held in Beijing in October 2025, focusing on trade relations?

The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, or APEC, is indeed the relevant major global economic summit focused on trade relations. However, the summit in October 2025 was not held in Beijing, but rather in Gyeongju, South Korea. The Republic of Korea hosted the 2025 APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting from October 31 to November 1, 2025, in the historic city of Gyeongju. This marked the second time South Korea hosted the summit, with the previous occasion being in Busan in 2005.

APEC is a premier intergovernmental economic forum comprising 21 member economies across the Asia-Pacific region. Established in 1989, its core mission is to promote free trade, investment, and sustainable economic growth, ultimately aiming to create greater prosperity for the people of the region. The member economies collectively account for a significant portion of the world's GDP and global trade, making their discussions on economic cooperation, trade liberalization, and investment facilitation highly influential.

The 2025 APEC Summit in Gyeongju operated under the theme "Building a Sustainable Tomorrow: Connect, Innovate, Prosper." Key priorities for the leaders included advancing trade and investment within the Asia-Pacific region, strengthening connectivity through various exchanges, promoting digital innovation, and pursuing sustainable and inclusive growth. Discussions also focused on revitalizing free trade and investment amidst global uncertainties and strengthening supply chain resilience. While China is a prominent APEC member and its President Xi Jinping attended the Gyeongju summit, emphasizing the protection of free trade and regional economic integration, the host city for 2025 was definitively Gyeongju, South Korea. China is slated to host APEC in Shenzhen in 2026.