Boao Forum for Asia to convene 2025 conference on March 25-28

China

Boao Forum for Asia to convene 2025 conference on March 25-28

2025-01-09 02:23 Last Updated At：06:27

The Boao Forum for Asia (BFA) Annual Conference 2025 will be held from March 25 to 28 in Boao, south China's Hainan Province, BFA Secretary General Zhang Jun said at a press conference in Beijing on Wednesday.

With the theme "Asia in the changing World: Towards a shared Future," this year's event will focus on development, foster dialogue, explore innovative formats, and value tangible outcomes, all aimed at promoting international development and cooperation, Zhang said. He said the theme is intended to reinvigorate multilateralism, promote openness and development, jointly respond to global challenges, and carry out the commitments of the UN Summit of the Future while focusing on the development of Asia.

Many heads of international and regional organizations, ministerial-level officials, entrepreneurs of Fortune Global 500, and renowned experts and scholars have already confirmed their participation in the annual conference, Zhang said.

He said the event will focus on four subject areas: building trust and promoting cooperation in a fast-changing world; re-balancing globalization for inclusive development; accelerating the Sustainable Development Goals for more effective responses to global challenges; and strengthening AI application and governance for innovation-driven development.

Discussions will also be held on topics related to AI application and governance, as well as the exploration of measures to bridge the digital divide and improve digital connectivity through digital capacity building.

"During the BFA Annual Conference, we will discuss a series of topics, like how to build an open global economy, how to strengthen global governance after the UN Summit of the Future, how to strengthen inter-civilization dialogue and enhance mutual understanding and trust, how to create an environment for peaceful development and maintain common economic security, and how the Global South countries march together toward modernization," said Zhang. Starting this year, the BFA annual meeting will also propose special events to be held in different countries to provide more opportunities for countries to explore cooperation with other participants, according to Zhang.

The Boao Forum for Asia (BFA) was founded in 2001 and offers a platform for dialogue between leaders from government, business, academia and other organizations to discuss economic, social and environmental issues, promote economic cooperation and support the sustainable development of Asia's economy.

World Cup fever drives export boom from China's Yiwu as orders surge

As the countdown to the 2026 FIFA World Cup continues, global anticipation is soaring ahead of the biggest ever edition of the showpiece soccer event, with orders for related goods surging in Yiwu, an eastern Chinese city known as "the world's supermarket".

The expanded 2026 tournament will feature a record number of 48 teams and see the competition being hosted across three countries for the first time, with matches scheduled to take place in the United States, Mexico and Canada from June 11 to July 19.

In the sports goods section of the Yiwu International Trade Market in Zhejiang Province, buyers from all around the world can be seen enthusiastically patrolling the huge marketplace with lengthy order lists, searching for the products they need.

With replica jerseys, memorabilia items, and top-quality sports gear all on offer, vendors are keen to tap into the fan fever ahead of the international footballing extravaganza.

For many, the World Cup is a once-every-four-years highlight, and with this year's tournament set to be bigger than ever, business opportunities are in abundance.

"Since the tournament is being hosted by three countries, the volume may be even higher than before. Orders could increase by 50 percent compared to previous World Cups. Today, we are also preparing an order to be shipped by air," said Chen Jian, a vendor at the Yiwu International Trade Market.

As sales climb, production lines are also running at full speed. In a local football factory, machines roar and workers skillfully glue and stitch, turning out brand-new footballs on the assembly line. As the 2026 World Cup fast approaches, the company's football-related sales have skyrocketed, with daily output reaching 4,000 balls and the firm seeing almost no inventory backlog.

According to customs data, exports of sports goods and equipment from Yiwu reached 2.34 billion yuan (about 340 million U.S. dollars) in January and February 2026, up 38.5 percent year on year.

The Yiwu International Trade Market has become an important center for foreign trade, housing nearly 80,000 booths offering over two million types of commodities, with the market maintaining trade ties with 233 countries and regions worldwide.