Chinese President Xi Jinping delivered a keynote speech at the opening ceremony of this year's Boao Forum for Asia 2018 annual conference, a four-day event that started Sunday under the theme of "An Open and Innovative Asia for a World of Greater Prosperity".
Originally a small fishing town little known to the outside world, Boao, in China's southern island province of Hainan, has earned a reputation as Asia's Davos for its annual Boao Forum for Asia.
Launched in 2001, the forum has always served as a platform to build Asian consensus, promote regional cooperation and advance the continent's influence on the world stage.
The word "Asia" has appeared 19 times in the themes of the forum's annual conferences from 2002 to 2018, illustrating a dedication to improving the continent's economic and social well-being. Other key words, including "win-win," "world" and "opening-up," also indicate an Asian approach to promoting world prosperity and an embrace of globalization.
The forum brings together leaders in government, business and academia to discuss the future role of Asia. The world is entering the next phase of globalization amid a rising tide of populism and protectionism in parts of the West, especially in President Donald Trump's United States.
While some countries have been taking a step back from globalization, Asian countries, which have enjoyed rapid development over the past few decades, have always embraced rather than rejected globalization and free trade.
In particular, since the outbreak of the international financial crisis, Asia has served as a major engine for the recovery and growth of the world economy, contributing nearly half of global growth.
In recent years, Asia's outbound investment has been noticeably active. A large population and growing middle-income class in Asia have provided huge consumption opportunities and an investment market for the world at large.
China has reiterated its commitment to further opening up as well as its support for economic globalization.
At this year's annual session of China's top legislative body last month, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said in a government work report that China will open its doors wider to foreign investors and further liberalize and facilitate trade and investment.
The two goals are to build China into a moderately prosperous society in all respects by the time the ruling Communist Party of China celebrates its centennial anniversary in 2021, and into a great modern socialist country that is prosperous, strong, democratic, culturally advanced, harmonious and beautiful by the time the People's Republic of China celebrates its centennial anniversary in 2049.
Later this year, the country will host the first China International Import Expo to help more foreign goods enter China. It is one of a series of major events China will host in 2018 to promote win-win international cooperation.
(Source:Jiangsu International Channel)
