The Boao Forum for Asia (BFA) Annual Conference 2013 opened on April 7 in China’s southern province of Hainan.
Themed “Asia Seeking Development for All: Restructuring,
Responsibility and Cooperation”, this year’s event attracted the
participation of nine heads of state and government leaders as well as
2,000 delegates from Asia and the world.
Addressing the opening ceremony, Chinese President Xi Jinping said Asia
has the strongest vitality and highest potential for development in
the world. Its growth is closely attached to the development of other
continents, he said.
However, the Chinese President
said the region also faces many challenges, and the settling of
differences remains a primary task. It is crucial to shift the method of
development, adjust the economic structure and increase development
quality and efficiency, therefore improving people’s living conditions,
said Xi.
Besides, Asia’s stability is also facing
new challenges, including emerging hot spots, complex developments of
traditional and non-traditional security threats, which require all
regional countries to enhance mutual trust and increase joint efforts,
he said.
Meanwhile, BFA Secretary General Zhu Wen
Zhong was pessimistic about the current global economy. He warned of
conflicting voices among regional countries caused by trade
protectionism, and called on multinational development cooperation.
The thee-day event comprises of 51 seminars on various topics,
including model shifting, development orientation renovation, poverty
reduction, currency policies and regional cooperation.
Initiated by 25 Asian countries and Australia, the BFA was
officially established in February, 2011 as an informal and non-profit
international organisation.-VNA