The Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference 2021 (AC2021) is set to be held in Boao, Hainan, from April 18 to 21. The theme is “A World in Change: Join Hands to Strengthen Global Governance and Advance Belt and Road Cooperation”.

Over the past year, the Covid-19 has swept across the world in unprecedented manners, plunging the global economy into a recession and raising dissents among countries. The pandemic escalated global challenges and posed critical questions to the changing world - how will the post-Covid world evolve? Can we translate crises into opportunities and refine global governance? These contemporary issues facing the world call for a concerted effort from the international community.

On the other hand, as the most economically dynamic region, Asia has made remarkable headway in regional integration amid the pandemic. Despite the shrinkage in international trade and the obstacles in the exchange of production resources, the Belt and Road Initiatives, in particular, have partially compensated for the lack of interconnection amongst countries and facilitated economic recovery and social development across Asia and adjacent regions. They also presented an “Asian perspective” in the reform on the global governance system.

In this context, the Boao Forum for Asia (BFA) has consulted with all stakeholders to finally formulate the theme of AC2021, which is “A World in Change: Join Hands to Strengthen Global Governance and Advance Belt and Road Cooperation”. Under this theme, the conference will be comprised of six modules, including “Explore China”, “Understand the Changing World”, “BRI Cooperation”，“Embrace the Industrial Changes”, “Dance with New Technologies” and “Development for All”.  Through open discussion and exchange of opinions, we hope that relevant parties may reach more consensus for world development and vitalize global governance in a post-epidemic era.

2021 also marks BFA’s 20th anniversary, a year that has far-reaching implications both to regional cooperation in Asia at large and to the Forum’s own development. Since the Forum’s establishment, BFA has remained committed to promoting Asian economic integration and the world’s common development. Looking ahead, it will continue to pool positive energy for the development of Asia and the world as a whole.

AC2021 will mostly be in-person meetings. However, as many countries may not lift the international travel restrictions in the short run due to pandemic-control requirements, the annual conference is due to be convened both physically and virtually to facilitate the participation of international representatives while ensuring their good health.