The annual Boao
Forum for Asia (BFA) conference is scheduled to be held from
April 24 to 25 in Boao, south China's Hainan Province. The number
of participants is expected to exceed 1,000, said BFA Secretary
General Long Yongtu at a press conference in Beijing Monday.
Beautiful Boao has become the permanent venue of the yearly
economic forum. Launched in 2001, the conference has been gaining
attention from leading figures in government and business
worldwide. Those who have confirmed attendance this year include
Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Hun Sen, Pakistani Prime Minister
Zafarullah Khan Jamali, former Malaysian Prime Minister Dr.
Mahathir bin Mohammad, UPS President David Abney and BMW Chairman
Helmut Panke.
Representatives from outside Asia are invited to attend the BFA
conference to share their experiences in regional cooperation and
development. This year's non-Asian guests will include Czech
President Vaclav Klaus, former US President George Bush, former
Mexican President Ernesto Zedillo Ponce de León and the trade
ministers of Australia and New Zealand.
"Only by insisting on a win-win situation can the Asian economy
be promoted," said Long, adding that the forum has decided to set
"Asia searching for win-win" as its permanent slogan.
"Asian economic cooperation is urgent, since it is gradually
being challenged by other regions," Long pointed out. However, he
added, regional cooperation in Asia is also complicated because of
its diverse cultures, religions and levels of economic
development.
The BFA plenary session includes a summit meeting of government
leaders and a business summit with speeches presented by
entrepreneurs.
Several seminars will be held during the two-day event, devoted
to such topics as multilateral trade systems after Cancun and Asian
economic integration; the IT industry in Asia; brand name
production; the supply chain in the context of globalization; the
"made in Asia" image; financial cooperation; and energy
cooperation.
Three round-table meetings will be held on energy,
industrialization of culture and cross-Straits economic
cooperation.
A special seminar cosponsored by the BFA and the China Reform
Forum on China's peaceful rise and economic globalization will also
be held. Experts on economics and international relations from both
China and overseas will attend.
(China.org.cn by staff reporter Tang Fuchun March 30, 2004)