Boao Forum for Asia to hold annual conference in Spring

BEIJING, Jan. 12 (Xinhua) -- The Boao Forum for Asia (BFA) will hold its annual conference this Spring in Boao, a coastal town in China's southernmost province of Hainan, the secretariat of the forum said Wednesday.

Due to the COVID-19 impacts, exact dates for the conference are yet to be decided after consultation, said BFA Secretary General Li Baodong.

This year's conference will focus on six areas, including the COVID-19 pandemic, green recovery and sustainable development as well as the progress of Asian regional cooperation, according to Li.

The conference is expected to be held both online and offline. Government officials and heads of international organizations, guests from business and academia will gather and discuss the post-pandemic development agenda for Asia and the world.

Li said that the secretariat is confident of hosting a successful conference and highlighted the importance of a forward-looking approach in promoting post-pandemic global development.

The BFA annual conference hosted its 20th edition last year after being canceled in 2020 due to the raging COVID-19 pandemic.

Founded in 2001, the BFA is a non-governmental and non-profit international organization committed to promoting regional economic integration and bringing Asian countries closer to their development goals.