Cooperation of Asia sought to boost BRI

Boao Forum event in Hainan expected to discuss reshaping of global growth

With COVID-19 controlled domestically, China is planning the largest on-site international forum of the year to date in mid-April. The forum is expected to call for cooperation among Asian countries and the reshaping of global growth in the post-pandemic era.

The annual conference of the Boao Forum for Asia is set for April 18 to 21 in Boao, Hainan province. The theme of the conference is "A World in Change: Join Hands to Strengthen Global Governance and Advance Belt and Road Cooperation", organizers said at a news conference on Tuesday.

This year also marks the 20th anniversary of the forum. April's event is expected to have around 2,000 participants, and will be held thanks to the effective prevention and control of the COVID-19 pandemic by the host country.

According to Li Baodong, secretary-general of the BFA, two of China's State leaders will attend the conference, with one addressing the opening ceremony online. The other leader will participate on-site in a series of events, including a symposium for entrepreneurs from China and the United States.

Many other state leaders from foreign countries, former politicians, heads of international organizations and a large number of guests from politics, business and academia, are expected to join the conference online or on-site.

One of the key topics of the forum this year is to promote the consensus of Asian countries and the world on reviving and reshaping confidence in growth and jointly controlling the pandemic, Li said at the news conference.

The world has been subject lately to increasing regional disputes and blocked flows of production factors. But cross-border cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative has promoted economic recovery in Asia and adjacent regions, which has presented an "Asian perspective" on improving global governance, Li said.

The conference will include a special section called "Explore China", which will focus on the country's development trends and its impact on recovery of the world economy. The timing is good because 2021 marks the opening of China's 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25). Another session, "BRI Cooperation", will share the experience of the Belt and Road Initiative and look for opportunities to optimize global governance, Li said.

Other discussion topics will include the dual-circulation development paradigm, financial opening-up, carbon neutrality, aging societies, COVID-19 vaccines and the digital economy. Forum organizers expect participants to jointly address the challenges of technological progress, industry transformation and societal management in the post-pandemic era.

"Facing the complex international environment, only by practicing multilateralism with a developmental perspective and strengthening global governance can we effectively respond to global challenges and ensure that all countries share the fruits of development," Li added.