The Boao Forum for Asia (BFA) Annual Conference 2013 opened on April 7 in China’s southern province of Hainan .
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| Photo: cntv.cn |
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.
Source: VNA