The Asia-Pacific Trade Facilitation Forum (APTFF) is the leading regional platform for the exchange of good practices and knowledge on trade facilitation. The 2026 Forum, themed with “Next Generation Trade Digitalization—Advancing Digital and Sustainable Trade Facilitation” was held as a special joint edition with Paperless Trade Week (PTW) on 8-12 June. The Asia-Pacific Trade Facilitation Forum x Paperless Trade Week 2026  (APTFF x PTW 2026) attracted over 300 participants from more than 30 countries. The policymakers, practitioners, and experts for panel discussions joined the interactive sessions, and knowledge-sharing dialogues. These engagements aimed to generate practical solutions for trade facilitation through digital transformation.

Prof. Xue was invited to speak on 9 June 2026 at the Plenary 1: Artificial Intelligence in Trade Facilitation: State of Play and Way Forward, which was the key highlight of the event. The ADB–ESCAP joint report, “Asia-Pacific Trade Facilitation Report 2026: Harnessing Artificial Intelligence in Trade Facilitation”, which explores key opportunities, challenges, and policy implications for applying artificial intelligence in trade facilitation, was officially launched at the Plenary. Prof. Xue talked about the legal risks and uncertainties in adopting AI for TF measures, such as malfunction and hallucination, cybersecurity issues caused by agentic AI, algorithm blackbox, and legal compliance on personal data protection and anti-bias. Prof. Xue emphasized that coherent International standards and legal framework be developed for advancement of AI governance and the relevant regional and international agreements on standards, risk management, accountability be implemented for quickly evolving AI deployment in TF. Prof. Xue concluded that all the parties shall get together to prevent the digital divide becoming an AI divide, build the trustworthy environment to enhance legal certainty and clarify the liability rules, and create an enabling environment for SMEs and digital TF.