Boao Forum for Asia (BFA) International Conference Center in Boao, south China's Hainan Province. [Photo/Xinhua]

Boao Forum for Asia (BFA) Secretariat held a press conference in Beijing on January 11 for its Annual Conference 2023, at which occasion Secretary General Li Baodong briefed on the preparation for the BFA Annual Conference 2023 and other important events.

Li confirmed that BFA will hold its annual conference this spring, tentatively at the end of March, at Boao of Hainan Province according to usual practice, where leaders and government officials of various countries including the host country China, heads of international organizations, guests from business and academia, as well as the media will gather and discuss the post-pandemic development agenda for Asia and the world. The exact date for the annual conference will be released as soon as confirmed. While the Covid-19 pandemic is still ongoing, with the joint efforts of the international community, the world is expected to emerge from the haze of the pandemic as soon as possible. The Annual Conference 2023 will be held offline with necessary pandemic prevention measures. The forum looks forward to welcoming guests and friends from all over the world in Hainan.

Li emphasized that the BFA will remain true to its original mission of promoting economic integration in Asia, and help build a community with a shared future through facilitating dialogue and exchanges among China and other countries in Asia and beyond. The BFA Annual Conference 2023 will continue to focus on frontier issues of development in Asia and the world, consolidate the consensus of all countries to jointly promote the post-epidemic world economic recovery, support the international community to strengthen policy coordination and cooperation, so as to meet common challenges and promote common development.

The agenda would include four modules, namely “Development and Inclusiveness”, “Efficiency and Security”, “Regional and Global”, and “the Present and the Future”. These four modules are meant to encourage sensible discussion of the relations between self and mutual interest, between short-term and long-term interest, with a view to promoting international cooperation and consolidating consensus.

Li introduced, in addition to the Annual Conference 2023, BFA is planning on organizing a series of important events, including thematic forums such as the second Global Economic Development and Security Forum, the first Global Tourism Forum, the first Global Urban and Rural Development Forum, the third Global Health Forum, the third International Science, Technology and Innovation Forum, and the International Health Industry Forum. BFA will also continue to strengthen research on topics such as the global response to climate change, the realization of carbon neutrality goals, and the high-quality construction of the Belt and Road Initiative, and launch new special reports on technological innovation. 

Representatives of BFA Annual Conference 2023 partners attended the press conference.