The 18th annual meeting of the Boao Forum for Asia opens on Sunday, on China's southern island province of Hainan. This year the conference will be themed "An Open and Innovative Asia for a World of Greater Prosperity". Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi briefed the media this morning and said President Xi Jinping will attend the forum. He also said the Boao Forum over the past 17 years has become a bridge that connects China with the rest of the world. CGTN's correspondent Zou Yun reports from the scene.

ZOU YUN BEIJING "State Councilor as well as Foreign Minister Wang Yi has just confirmed that President Xi Jinping is going to attend the opening ceremony of Boao Forum for Asia this year and deliver a very important speech. The Chinese government will use this forum as a very important platform to showcase China's reform and opening up in the past forty years. Because, as we know, this year marks the fortieth anniversary of China's reform and opening up. So this is a great chancefor Chinese government to tell what has been achieved in the past years, and what new reform and opening up measures are laying ahead in the years ahead. And second, there will be a blueprint of China's development laid out at the forum by Chinese President Xi Jinping. And third is about bringing forward the new proposals for new shared future not only about countries in Asia but also on a wider range. Last but not least is about impetus injected to the growth in the Asia regions as well as other countries in the world. And we know that this year's forum focuses on an open and innovative Asia for a world of great prosperity." 

WANG YI CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTER "The theme for this year's forum is An Open and Innovative Asia for a World of Greater Prosperity. It resonates with reality and it has received great attention. Over 2000 distinguished guests from around the world will gather together. We will discuss win-win cooperation and a pathway to prosperity and development, contributing Boao wisdom and Boao strength to Asia and to the world."

ZOU YUN BEIJING "And we know that this year's Boao Forum comes at a critical time amid this increasing trade friction as well as protectionism, so it is a great time and also it is a concerning time for political as well as business leaders to come together to figure out what is the best way to further enhance this regional economic integration and new impetus for economic growth."