The opening session of the Boao Forum for Asia (BFA) 2017 is currently underway in south China’s Hainan Province.
The event began with a welcoming remark by Yasuo Fukuda, Chairman of the Boao Forum for Asia.
Chinese President Xi Jinping sends congratulatory message to Boao Forum
Chinese President Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory message to the forum, which was read out by Zeng Peiyan, vice chairman of the Boao Forum for Asia.
Zeng Peiyan, vice chairman of the Boao Forum for Asia, reading a congratulatory message from Chinese President Xi Jinping to the forum./ CGTN Photo
Xi extended a warm welcome to participants from around the world, and expressed his gratitude to people from the forum who contributed to the development of Asia.
He hoped participants would share their insights and thoughts with the forum to promote a more dynamic, inclusive and sustainable globalization.
Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli on globalization and Asia’s development
Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli delivered a keynote speech, in which he highlighted Asia’s achievements in global economic growth and globalization.
He said Asia’s involvement in globalization created economic miracles as Asian countries contributed to around 50 percent of global growth since the financial crisis in 2008.
Asian countries have taken an active part in economic globalization, founded a development model with Asian characteristics and provided a unique experience for modernization, Zhang said.
He noted joint efforts should be made to strengthen regional development in a peaceful, innovation-driven, open-minded, shared and equitable way.
China will continue its policy of good-neighborliness and friendliness in the region to achieve common development, he said.
Zhang also stressed that Asian countries should join hands to promote free trade and globalization for a better future of the region and the world.
"Globalization and Free Trade: The Asian Perspectives” is the theme of this year’s forum, which kicked off on Thursday against a backdrop of a rising protectionism trend around the world.
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