The first annual conference of the
Boao Forum for
Asia (BFA) closed in Boao, Hainan Province Saturday.
The conference has proved successful and a good start to the annual
series of meetings, former Philippine President Fidel Ramos,
chairman of the BFA Board of Directors, told a press conference
there. The BFA will be an important supplement to the Asian
cooperation mechanism, he added.
Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji made the opening remarks and gave a
keynote speech at the opening of the meeting.
In
his remarks, Zhu said that, with the theme of "New Century, New
Challenge, A New Asia", the gathering gave explicit expression to
the objectives of the forum: to be an Asia-based, globally-focused
venue for discussions on development, and to fully reflect the
common aspiration of the Asian countries to strengthen dialogue,
enhance mutually beneficial cooperation and promote prosperity.
During the conference, Zhu met with Thai Prime Minister Thaksin
Shinawatra, Prime Minister of the Republic of Korea Lee Han-dong,
Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi and Vietnamese Deputy
Prime Minister Nguyen Manh Cam. They exchanged views on how to
improve regional economic cooperation and bilateral ties.
Heads of state and government attending the meeting noted in their
speeches that Asian countries should improve regional cooperation
and exchanges, and open wider to the outside world in a bid to
sharpen their competitiveness and make Asia an economic enter of
the world in the new century.
About 2,000 senior government officials, experts and businessmen
from 48 countries and regions attended the meeting, three times
more than last year.
During the conference, the 11-member Board of Directors and its
chairman and secretary-general were elected.
According to Ramos, the Board of Directors will hold quarterly
meetings, and the first meeting will be held here three months
hence, while Tokyo and Seoul are to host the second and third
meetings, respectively.
(Xinhua News
Agency April 13, 2002)