Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping Saturday called on Asian nations to further open market and firmly oppose protectionism in all forms.

Addressing the opening ceremony of the annual meeting of Boao Forum for Asia in Boao in south China's island province of Hainan, Xi urged Asia to "uphold a fair, free and open global trade and investment system."

"Meanwhile, we should give full play to role of regional and sub-regional dialogue and cooperation mechanisms in Asia to promote harmonious and sustainable development of Asia and the world at large," he said.

Xi said Asian nations should continue to strengthen macro-economic policy coordination and vigorously promote cooperation in energy conservation, emissions reduction, environmental protection and new energy development to achieve sustainable growth.

"No country could stay away from or manage to meet on its own severe challenges like the international financial crisis, climate change and energy and resources security," he said.

Xi also called to eradicate poverty to help achieve balanced economic growth.

"The root cause for the loss of balance in the world economy is the severely uneven development between the North and the South," he said.

He called for greater efforts to improve the international mechanisms designed to promote balance development, and to increase assistance from developed countries to developing countries.