Boao forum ends with pro-globalization initiative

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An initiative on economic globalization was announced at the end of the annual conference of the Boao Forum for Asia (BFA) on Sunday in China's Hainan Province.

The aim of the forum is to promote and deepen the economic exchange, coordination, and cooperation within Asia and between Asia and other parts of the world, according to the initiative.

Addressing pressures on global growth and the increase in de-globalization and protectionism, the initiative asks Asian countries to stay committed to open markets, inclusive growth and economic cooperation.

The initiative called upon the world to actively adapt to the forces of economic globalization and reform global governance to solve problems arising from globalization.

The closing press conference of Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference 2017 is held on March 26, 2017. /BFA Photo

Specific measures were proposed by BFA members through the initiative.

Among them was the notion that governments should make more efforts to reform and work together to strengthen international economic order and global governance systems, with policies to ensure benefits more widely shared.

Additionally, it was also suggested that protectionism should be rejected, and that trade and investment should be promoted to drive sustainable global development, with continued reform of multilateral mechanisms and governance.

International and regional organizations such as the WTO and APEC were encouraged to work towards a more open, inclusive, fair and equitable bilateral and multilateral trade system.

Similarly, multilateral lenders, including the IMF and World Bank, were urged to improve supervision of global finance, supporting cross-border capital flows and working to lessen impacts on the real economy.

Innovation was also highlighted in the initiative. Governments were encouraged to use cross-border public private partnerships, a financing mode, to facilitate technological innovation and cross-border movement of knowledge and information.

BFA members proposed an open mechanism for multilateral cooperation to ensure balance in globalization, calling for efforts from the G20, the APEC, governments and the private sector. Infrastructure and institutional and people-to-people connectivity should also be promoted.

(Source: Xinhua, Boao Forum for Asia website)

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