More than one-quarter of the Fortune 500 companies will send executives to attend the APEC 2014 CEO Summit in China, a sign that they are relying on one of the world's biggest regional trade blocs to fuel their growth.

Yu Ping, vice-chairman of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, said that President Xi Jinping will attend the summit and deliver a keynote speech. Heads of government from the United States, New Zealand, Chile, Indonesia, Vietnam and other economies will also attend.

The summit will gather 1,500 APEC economic leaders, chief executive officers and scholars in Beijing to discuss key issues facing the development of the Asia-Pacific region. The topics will include advancing regional economic integration, promoting innovative development, economic reform and growth, as well as strengthening comprehensive connectivity and global finance.