Boao Forum for Asia is the first international conference organization headquartered in China.
Over the past half century, Asian countries have made remarkable achievements in economic and social development through their own efforts, and their influence in international and regional affairs is increasing day by day. Especially in the last two or three decades, Asia's overall economy has developed rapidly, and East Asia's economy has taken off, creating an "East Asian miracle" that has attracted worldwide attention and becoming one of the most dynamic areas for economic development in the century. Although it was hit hard by the financial crisis at the end of the century, the Asian economy recovered rapidly through self-adjustment and reform.
Increasingly close, bilateral, regional, sub-regional and cross-regional cooperation has gradually developed; Cooperation and exchanges among countries in the fields of industry and commerce, finance, science and technology, transportation and culture are increasing day by day; East Asian regional cooperation (10+3) has entered a substantive stage; Sub-regional cooperation such as economic integration within ASEAN, cooperation in Lancang-Mekong River basin and cooperation in Tumen River basin is under way. Cross-regional cooperation such as Asia-Pacific Economic Organization, Asia-Europe Meeting and east asia-latin america forum is also advancing. It can be predicted that the prospects for economic development and cooperation in Asia are very broad.
In the new century, with the continuous development of economic globalization and regionalization, the acceleration of economic integration in Europe and the further development of the North American Free Trade Area, Asian countries are facing enormous opportunities and many foreseeable and unforeseeable severe challenges. On the one hand, it requires Asian countries to strengthen cooperation with other parts of the world, and at the same time, it requires Asian countries to enhance exchanges and cooperation. How to deal with the challenges brought by globalization to countries in the region, maintain the healthy economic development of the region, and strengthen mutual coordination and cooperation has become a common issue faced by Asian countries.