Guangdong will add APEC lanes at eight ports as foreign traffic rises in Shenzhen, Guangzhou and Zhuhai ahead of November’s summit
Guangdong to add APEC lanes as foreign traffic rises
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Guangdong will introduce dedicated APEC lanes at eight ports as foreign passenger traffic across the province continues to rise ahead of the 2026 APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting in Shenzhen.
The new lanes will cover airports, seaports, land ports and railway ports, with authorities also introducing tailored guidance and inspection measures to improve clearance efficiency.
[See more: Macao hosts APEC Tourism Ministerial Meeting]
The move comes as major cities across the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area report strong growth in international passenger traffic.
Shenzhen hits 5 million foreign crossings ahead of APEC
As of early August, more than 5 million foreign nationals had entered or exited Guangdong through Shenzhen’s border ports, according to the Shenzhen General Station of Immigration Inspection.
The milestone was reached 58 days earlier than in 2025. Ahead of the APEC meeting, Shenzhen immigration authorities are also upgrading port services, including digital arrival registration, bilingual and multilingual services, on-site consultation and passenger guidance.
The city will host the 33rd APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting in November, bringing government officials, business leaders and other international visitors to the region.
Guangzhou sees foreign entries jump 32.9 percent
Guangzhou is also seeing a sharp increase in foreign passenger traffic. In the first half of 2026, more than 2.02 million foreign nationals entered through ports administered by Guangzhou’s immigration authorities, an increase of 32.9 percent year-on-year.
Conference and business travellers accounted for 26.2 percent of foreign arrivals, with the China Import and Export Fair, also known as the Canton Fair, identified as a core driver.
[See more: Shenzhen aims to improve bilingual public signs ahead of APEC 2026]
Visa-exempt foreign arrivals made up more than half of all foreign entries at Guangzhou’s ports, with most coming from APEC economies.
The increase is also visible at Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport, which had recorded more than 5 million inbound and outbound foreign national visits by the start of September.
Zhuhai’s foreign crossings climb past 1.46 million
Zhuhai has recorded a similar rise. As of August 25, more than 1.46 million foreign exit-entry trips had been recorded through the city’s ports, according to immigration authorities.
Of these, more than 310,000 foreign nationals entered under visa-free arrangements or with an APEC Business Travel Card, representing more than one-fifth of foreign entries.
Guangdong’s APEC connections are growing
The rise in foreign passenger traffic comes alongside stronger trade and transport links between Guangdong and other APEC economies.
Guangdong’s imports and exports with other APEC economies reached 4.27 trillion yuan in the first seven months of 2026, a record for the period and an increase of 22.1 percent year-on-year.
Trade with APEC economies accounted for 65.7 percent of Guangdong’s total foreign trade during the period.
Transport links are expanding as well. Since the start of the year, Yantian Port in Shenzhen has launched 11 new international routes connecting APEC economies, bringing the number of weekly Yantian routes serving APEC economies to 53.
In Guangzhou, Nansha Port had more than 100 routes serving APEC economies by the end of the first half of the year, as part of 186 foreign-trade shipping services.
What the surge means for Guangdong and the Greater Bay Area
The increase in foreign passenger traffic highlights the growing international connectivity of Guangdong as Shenzhen prepares to host APEC’s flagship leaders’ meeting.
For travellers, the new APEC lanes and improved multilingual and digital services are intended to make border clearance faster, safer and more convenient.
For the Greater Bay Area, the combination of rising international travel, expanding transport links and deeper trade with APEC economies further strengthens the region’s role as a major gateway between China and the Asia-Pacific.
