Boao (TDI): Global Political and business leaders are gathering in Boao, a coastal town in southern China’s Hainan Province, for the Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference 2025 running from March 25 to 28.
Amid rising international economic fragmentation and geopolitical tensions, the forum, themed “Asia in the Changing World: Towards a Shared Future,” serves as an important platform for fostering regional collaboration, driving global economic development and strengthening the region’s role in global governance.
As Asia plays a bigger role in global development, discussions are centering on how the region can help navigate challenges and push for sustainable growth, with participants recognizing Asia as the world’s growth engine and underlining regional coordination, economic inclusivity and technological development as key drivers in addressing economic uncertainties and building up momentum for growth.
Established in 2001 and headquartered in Hainan, the forum has long been a platform for regional dialogue, but its role is evolving as Asian economies become more integrated.
Denis Depoux, global managing director at Roland Berger, a Germany-based consultancy, said that fast-growing South-South trade and investment is making the Boao Forum for Asia relevant beyond the boundaries of the continent, according to Xinhua.
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Often referred to as the “Asian Davos,” the forum brings together political and business leaders to exchange views on trade, investment and technology, with increasing participation from Global South nations in recent years.
“The forum underlines the power of partnership through its ability to create space for exchanging ideas, building ties and collectively shaping the future of Asia,” said Dino Otranto, CEO of Australia’s mining giant Fortescue Metals.
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In an increasingly uncertain economic environment, Asia remains a major growth engine for the global economy.
According to a report by the forum, real GDP growth in the continent is expected to rise from 4.4% in 2024 to 4.5% in 2025, while the region’s share of global GDP is likely to increase from 48.1% to 48.6% at purchasing power parity in the same period.
