The Boao Forum for Asia (BFA) International Conference Centre in Boao, South China’s Hainan province, is ready for the forum.

Boao Forum gathering seeks answers in face of global challenges

(Global Times) -- The Boao Forum for Asia (BFA) has touched off a wave of diplomatic frenzy that brings together leaders from across Asia and beyond to discuss both economic and geopolitical issues and seek answers facing the region. 

Themed on “Asia and the World: Common Challenges, Shared Responsibilities,” the BFA Annual Conference calls on countries around the world to jointly address global challenges and shoulder the responsibility of promoting peace and prosperity together in the four-day meetings.
The BFA itself will also see the presence of Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Nauru’s President David W.R. Adeang, Sri Lankan Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena, Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of Dominica Roosevelt Skerrit, and former Cambodian prime minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen, Director General of the World Intellectual Property Organisation Daren Tang, and Secretary-General of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECDE) Mathias Cormann, according to the forum organiser.
Zhao Leji, chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, met with representatives of the board of directors, some advisory committees and strategic partner companies of the Boao Forum on Wednesday.
According to Zhao, the theme of this year’s annual meeting has responded to the common concerns of the international community. In today’s world, where multiple challenges and crises are intertwined, consensus, solidarity and cooperation are all the more necessary. With its new development, China will provide more new opportunities for the world, Zhao said. 
Danilo Turk, former president of Slovenia, told the Global Times on Wednesday that the BFA is a vital platform for diverse perspectives to converge and chart a path forward, with diplomatic action playing a crucial role in addressing pressing global challenges.
“These issues cannot be solved in the short term, but at least they are being addressed at the Boao Forum, which is a good starting point, especially considering China’s importance as a key player in international relations,” Turk told the Global Times on Wednesday.
Opportunities like the BFA are crucial for diplomatic engagements with political leaders to discuss fundamental issues such as development, security, and stability that impact not only the region but also the entire world. The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of reconnecting through in-person meetings to reestablish dialogue and collaboration, Gilles Carbonnier, vice president of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), told the Global Times on Wednesday.
The Global Times reporters observed that as the forum’s panels began on Tuesday, delegates from various parts of Asia and beyond flocked to the conference rooms very early in the morning, eager to participate in discussions. Each panel was filled to capacity, and there were always lines of people waiting to join in and listen.
Turk mentioned that in the Western world today, there is a harmful mentality and narrative that is harming regional relations. “This narrative involves the use of sanctions and countermeasures as if they were solutions to existing problems. It is widely known that sanctions do not achieve the intended results, but instead produce negative consequences,” Turk said. 
Turk mentioned there is a focus on values and moral superiority in the West, which can lead to a sense of competition based on values, where one group believes they are superior to others because of their values.
In addition, geopolitical tensions have influenced beyond to business investments across the globe. “The world today is more influenced by geopolitics than ever before, and the geopolitical influence will affect the flow of foreign direct investment,” Charles Dallara from Partners Group said during a panel discussion.
“We’re looking forward to seeking some insights about how geopolitical factors will impact our consultancy,” a representative from KPMG International Limited told the Global Times.
In the face of such an increasingly complex and tense global geopolitical situation, China has actively played a constructive role and is committed to maintaining world and regional peace, stability and development, Xu Bu, chairman of the Institute of Global Development and Security at Jiangsu University, who attended the panel on global geopolitical outlook at the Boao Forum, told the Global Times.
He noted that one of the main reasons for the more complex geopolitical situations is that unilateralism and protectionism are still prevalent in the global geopolitical arena. Some countries have been constantly engaging in sanctions and long-arm jurisdiction as well as building “small yard, high fence,” which undermines the interests of other countries, he said.

(Latest Update March 29, 2024)