The Boao Forum for Asia (BFA) Annual Conference 2024 will be held from March 26 to 29 in Boao, South China's Hainan Province. Held under the theme “Asia and the World: Common Challenges, Shared Responsibilities,” the 40 subforums of this year's annual forum will be held on four main topics: the World Economy, Scientific and Technological Innovation, Social Development, and International Cooperation. Currently, a large number of current and former dignitaries, heads of international organizations, and dozens of foreign ministers and other important guests from around the world have confirmed their attendance. Of the 5,000 people expected to attend, nearly 1,200 are there as representatives of major media outlets.

At the forum’s press conference, it was announced that this year would have an even greater than usual focus on Hainan, include Hainanese organizations sponsoring or participating in activities such as the Global Free Trade Port Development Forum, Global Security Initiative Subforum, Chinese Business Roundtable, Hainan-Hong Kong exchange activities, special investment promotions, and a Haikou City Exhibition.

Of these, the 4th Global Free Trade Port Development Forum on March 27 will be held with the theme of "Partnership, Openness, and Cooperation” and attendees will be focusing on topics such as "partners in building a global free trade zone,” "promoting global free trade zone cooperation,” and "expanding the institutional opening up of Hainan as a global free trade zone.”

During the press conference, it was also announced that Haikou—the province’s capital city—will hold a special exhibition at Boao Dongyu Island Cultural Park during the forum which, through contemporary international visual means of expression, will showcase the region's beauty by looking at things such as free trade port development, the historic downtown’s arcaded shophouses, the geographical and ecological features of the dormant volcanic caldera at the south end of Haikou, the area's historic temples, intangible cultural heritage performances, and special food. All preparatory work for the exhibition has been completed, and it is scheduled to start on March 26.

This photo taken on March 27, 2023 shows a fountain square in front of the Boao Forum for Asia (BFA) International Conference Center in Boao, south China's Hainan Province. [Photo/Xinhua]