Speaking at a the closing press conference of the BFA Annual Conference 2018, Zhou Wenzhong, secretary-general of the BFA, stressed that the year’s forum has achieved a marvelous consensus on promoting globalization and strengthening regional cooperation.

The forum brought together leaders in government, business and academia to discuss the Asia’s future. More than 2,000 participants, 260 speakers and over 1,000 journalists had a friendly exchange of views on the Globalization and the Belt and Road Initiative, Opening-up, Innovation as well as Structural Reform in 65 panel discussions and put forward valuable proposals during the year’s conference.

Participants agreed that globalization and free trade are irreversible, conforming to the common interests of Asia and the whole world. Chinese President Xi Jinping's speech was the keynote of the annual conference, inspiring people around the world to work together to a community with a shared future for humanity and make Asia and the whole world peaceful and prosperous.

Furthermore, Zhou Wenzhong highlighted the fact that the successful accomplishment of BFA today has depended upon the development of Asia. Therefore, Boao Forum for Asia is aimed at building “an international platform in which Asia is able to reach a consensus and make its voice heard”.