The mission of the Boao Forum for Asia (BFA) remains the same, but the focus has shifted to address current global circumstances, the forum's Secretary General Zhang Jun said on Friday, as the forum's Annual Conference 2026 wrapped up in south China's Hainan Province.
"Since its founding, the forum's mission has been to promote Asian economic integration and regional cooperation. This has not changed to this day. What has changed is the broader global landscape. The current situation is different from the environment Asia faced during the last financial crisis. Due to these shifts in the external environment, the forum's focus and the topics of discussion have also evolved," Zhang said.
He said the change in the forum's focus reflects Asia's rising role in the global economy.
"Under the current circumstances, Asia holds a more important position in the global economic landscape. It continues to serve as a major engine for world economic growth. In the process of global economic transformation, Asia has not only kept pace with global developments but has also striven to stay ahead, particularly in two sectors: digital transformation and the green transition," he said.
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.
Boao Forum focus shifts with changes in global landscape: secretary general
