Member economies of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation have for the first time embraced the expanding role of data, reaching a consensus that it should be viewed not merely as a product of digitalization, but as an important resource for economic growth.

The central parity rate of the Chinese currency renminbi, or the yuan, strengthened 28 pips to 6.7911 against the US dollar Monday, according to the China Foreign Exchange Trade System.

The midsummer heat is stifling, yet inside the exhibition halls of the 2026 World Artificial Intelligence Conference — which recently concluded in Shanghai — the temperature also feels high due to a flurry of activity.

In Yiwu, the world's largest small commodities trade hub and a major global center for Christmas goods, the export season is already in full swing. Local merchants told the Global Times that overseas buyers are placing orders earlier each year, keeping businesses increasingly busy.Yiwu Customs data