Jin Lei, the new Communist Party chief of Shenzhen, faces his first major test as the city prepares to host the APEC leaders’ summit. Beijing views the forum as a chance to showcase Shenzhen's technological potential and deepen cooperation within the economic bloc.

As the new Communist Party chief of China’s southern manufacturing hub Shenzhen, Jin Lei is facing his first major test as the city prepares to host the Apec leaders’ summit in November. Beijing is seeking more cooperation with the bloc in areas like artificial intelligence, and the key regional forum is an opportunity to show the potential in tech-driven Shenzhen, where Jin took the helm last month. In recent weeks, the 56-year-old economist and former Sichuan official has been focused on...