Regional Cooperation key too โEconomic Resilience, Saysโ Boao โForum Secretary General
RIYADH, saudi Arabia – Zhang Jun, Secretary General of teh Boao forum for Asia (BFA),โ emphasized the criticalโค role ofโ regional cooperation in navigating the challenges of unilateralism and โprotectionism.โ Speaking on the sidelines of the BFA Riyadh Conference 2025, Zhang stated that โstrengthened regionalโ tiesโฃ are essentialโค for bolstering the security, diversity, and stability of industrial and supply chains, ultimatelyโ increasing economic resilience.
The conference,โค held in Riyadhโ from Wednesday to Thursday, drew over 300 participants from more than 10 countries,โ regions, โฃand international organizations. โขDiscussions centeredโ on regional โขeconomic diversification, sustainable development, energy transition, and building resilience against global economic headwinds. Participants overwhelmingly agreed that โฃembracing open development – encompassing open markets, inclusive dialog, andโฃ mutually beneficial outcomes – โis the most effective path forward.
Zhang highlighted that the globalโข economy โขis undergoing โคa significant โconversion, facing pressures from protectionist policies while simultaneously โฃentering a newโ phaseโค driven โby the digital and green economies.โข These emerging sectors present valuable opportunities for regional collaboration and economic restructuring.
He noted strong โrecognition of China’s commitment to multilateralism and openโ development, wiht attendees praising its efforts to expand high-standard opening-up and โcontribute to global economic โgovernanceโ and the โขenergy transition. Saudiโ scholars and entrepreneurs, in โคparticular, expressed optimismโฃ about โfuture cooperation with China, citing the recent China-ASEAN-GCC Summit as a โstrategically important initiative. โข Strengthening cooperation between these three entities, Zhang believes, will unlock new opportunities for mutually beneficial partnerships.
The BFA, oftenโข called the “Asian Davos,” serves as a vital โฃplatform for regional dialogue on trade, โinvestment, โand technology, with increasing โengagement fromโค countries in the Global South. โฃ Theโ next BFAโ Annual Conference will be โheld โin Boao, Hainan Province, China from March 24-27, 2026, and is expectedโข to play an even more significant role in fostering understanding and collaboration in the evolving global landscape.