INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
HAINAN, China - The Boao Forum for Asia (BFA) Annual Conference 2025 that is being held in Hainan Province in southern China has grabbed
and former UN chief, said the event with both the scale and the level of participation, serves as a strong testament to the significance of
free trade and globalization.He said while global trade is still far from being 100 percent free, it has significantly expanded the global
economic pie and lifted hundreds of millions of people out of poverty and hardship
Ban added that the future of the world revolves around how open and inclusive economies can be
The former UN chief said this underscores the undeniable importance and benefits of free trade.Two panel discussions took place alongside
the BFA, where speakers advocated for the advancement of multilateralism and criticized unilateralismZhou Xiaochuan, vice chairman of the
BFA, also took the podium
international order.Zhou called on Asian nations to promote regional economic integration and shape an inclusive, equitable form of economic
He stressed that these countries need to unite in opposing unilateralism and trade protectionism and uphold true multilateralism.Hainan's
Governor Liu Xiaoming also addressed the participants
He said Hainan is striving to create a market-oriented, law-based, and internationalized first-class business environment, with the aim of
were also held on the sidelines of the BFA on Tuesday, during which speakers called for promoting multilateralism and denounced unilateral
drawn approximately 2,000 participants from more than 60 countries and regions, in addition to over 1,100 journalists representing nearly
will focus on development, foster dialogue, explore innovative formats and value tangible outcomes, all aimed at promoting international
development and cooperation
