'Asia's Davos Forum'... China Boao Forum Opens Tomorrow

Newly appointed Chinese Premier Li Qiang, Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang, and Vice Premier He Lifeng (from right) are attending a press conference after the closing ceremony of the National People's Congress (NPC) held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on the 13th. [Image source=Yonhap News]

The Boao Forum in China, often called the Davos Forum of Asia, will be held for four days from the 28th to the 31st in Boao, Hainan, China.

According to the Boao Forum Secretariat on the 27th, this year's forum will be held under the theme "An Uncertain World: Facing Challenges with Unity and Cooperation, Promoting Development through Openness and Inclusiveness."

During this year's meeting, the forum plans to focus on four main agendas: "Development and Universal Benefits," "Governance and Security," "Region and World," and "Present and Future," aiming to promote international cooperation and build a consensus on development.

This year, the forum will be held entirely offline. Previously, the Boao Forum was canceled in 2020 when COVID-19 began, and in 2021 and last year, it was conducted mainly online combined with offline elements.

The forum secretariat announced that attendees include Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, Malaysia Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, Spain Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, Ivory Coast Prime Minister Patrick Achi, and International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva.

Former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, former People's Bank of China Governor Zhou Xiaochuan, former Vice Foreign Minister of China Li Baodong, former Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda, and Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee are also expected to attend.

From Korea, SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won and Jeju Governor Oh Young-hoon will participate.

On the 29th, Ban Ki-moon, the former Secretary-General and chairman of the Boao Forum, will deliver a keynote speech on the impact of climate change on the global economy and social development.

On the 30th, the day of the opening ceremony, Premier Li Qiang will give a keynote speech introducing China's economic policies.

The Boao Forum is formally hosted by the Boao Forum Secretariat, a non-governmental organization. However, in practice, the Chinese government, as a sponsor, uses it as a platform to shape international public opinion led by China.

Because of this, there are expectations that this forum will be an occasion for China to express confidence in its future economic growth.

Mao Ning, spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said at a regular briefing that "We hope representatives from various countries will discuss plans for peace, development, cooperation, and win-win outcomes through the Boao Forum as an international exchange platform, contributing to the improvement of global governance and the welfare of people worldwide."