Boao Forum for Asia (BFA) Secretariat held a press conference on March 30 in Beijing. Secretary-general Mr. Li Baodong briefed the participating media on the preparation for the 2021 BFA Annual Conference (AC).

Li pointed out that the AC 2021 to be held from April 18-21 is special not only because of the COVID-19 background, but also for it coincides with the 20th anniversary of the Forum. Thanks to the effective prevention and control of the pandemic by the host country, China, this year’s AC will be the world's first large-scale on-site international conference in 2021, attracting around 2,000 participants. Two state leaders of China will attend the conference: One will address the opening ceremony online, and the other one will participate onsite in a series of important events such as the Sino-US Entrepreneurs Symposium. Other participants joining the conference online or onsite include state leaders of various countries, former politicians, heads of international organizations, as well as a large number of guests from politics, business and academia.

Li stressed that the primary task of the 2021 annual conference is to help Asian countries and the world build consensus on development and reshape growth confidence while ensuring the pandemic prevention. With increasing international disputes, global challenges have become more prominent. It is generally believed that strengthening global governance is more important and urgent than ever. With the flow of production factors blocked, the "Belt and Road" cooperation has promoted economic recovery in Asia and adjacent regions, demonstrated the determination of Asian countries to promote international cooperation, and also provided an "Asian perspective" for improving global governance. Therefore, the theme of this year's annual conference is set as " A World in Change: Join Hands to Strengthen Global Governance and Advance Belt and Road Cooperation".

Li introduced the agenda of the conference and emphasized that AC 2021 will set up dozens of content-rich events, which are divided into six modules, including “Explore China”, “Understand the Changing World”, “BRI Cooperation”，“Embrace the Industrial Changes”, “Dance with New Technologies” and “Development for All”.  

"Explore China" and "BRI Cooperation" are new sections based on the current situation and are set up in response to the general interest of the public to deepen understanding of the host country, China. 2021 marks the opening of China's 14th Five-Year Plan. As the second largest economy in the world, China is moving towards a "new development stage, new development philosophy and new development pattern." The section "Explore China" is to discuss in depth the development trend of China and its impact on the recovery of the world economy. The other newly added " BRI Cooperation " section hopes to take the "Belt and Road Cooperation" as an example to look at the opportunities and challenges in strengthening international cooperation and global governance. The remaining four modules of “Understand the Changing World”, “Embrace the Industrial Changes”, “Dance with New Technologies” and “Development for All” focus on macro topics, industry-specific issues, cutting-edge technology and sustainable development, respectively.

The six modules of AC 2021 include not only the topics of "dual cycle" and financial openness that are of great interest to all parties, but also include carbon neutrality, aging society, COVID-19 vaccine, digital economy, etc., which are of universal significance in the international community. BFA hopes that through the discussion of these topics, all parties could jointly address the challenges of technology progress, industry transformation and societal management in the post-pandemic era.

Li noted that facing the complex international environment, only by practicing multilateralism with a developmental perspective and strengthening global governance, can we effectively respond to global challenges and ensure that all countries share the fruits of development. Li emphasized that topics like carbon neutrality and climate change are important agendas for the international community, which attracted the attention of many countries in Asia, including the host country China. He expressed his hope for AC 2021 to sum up experience, build consensus, and promote pragmatic cooperation.

Li introduced the partners of AC2021. Honorary strategic partners: SABIC, SK Group, WULIANGYE Group; Strategic Partners: SAIC General Motors; SAMSUNG; FMG Diamond partners: Inner Mongolia Yili Industrial Group, AstraZeneca, YI-WU Exhibition. Platinum partners: Tencent News, China VAST Industrial Urban Development, XIAO GUAN CHA; Gold partners: Deloitte; COCONUT PALM; Silver partners: CAIJING Magazine; M&G Stationery.

The Supporting Media of AC2021 includes (in alphabetical order): Beijing Review, Bloomberg, Caixin Media, CNBC, CATV, CGTN, China Media Group, China News Service, China Pictorial, Economic Daily, EDI Media Inc, Haymarket Media Group, Global Times, Hainan Broadcasting Group, JongAng ILBO, Lianhe Zaobao, Macau Monthly, People’s Daily, Phoneix TV, PR Newswire, Xinhua News Agency, Yicai Media Group.