On the morning of April 15, 2011, Boao Forum for Asia (BFA) Annual Conference 2011 opened in Boao, Hainan province. Chinese President Hu Jintao attended the opening ceremony and delivered a keynote speech. He stressed that China will unswervingly follow the path of peaceful development and the win-win strategy of opening-up. China will always give top priority to Asia in its foreign policy, stick to the policy of building good-neighborly relationship and partnership with its neighbors, promote good-neighborliness and mutually beneficial cooperation and deepen mutual understanding and trust with Asian countries. It will always be a good neighbor, good friend and good partner of other Asian countries.
Boao in the spring season boasts blue sea, clean sky and thriving plants everywhere. This year marks the 10th anniversary of the BFA. The newly decorated conference hall is immersed in a joyous atmosphere. Focusing on the theme of "Inclusive Development: Common Agenda & New Challenges", participants will discuss the topics on China's "12th Five-year Plan", world economic outlook and emerging trends of global industrial transfer, etc.
At around 10:30am, Hu Jintao entered the conference hall and took seat at the rostrum amidst warm applauses. Foreign national leaders including Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff, South African President Jacob Zuma, South Korean Prime Minister Kim Hwang-sik, Spanish Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, Ukrainian Prime Minister Mykola Azarov and New Zealand Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Bill English as well as more than 1,400 politicians, business people, experts and scholars attended the opening ceremony.
Among warm applauses, Hu delivered a keynote speech entitled Promoting Common Development and Building a Harmonious Asia. He pointed out that the BFA has played an important role of building consensus in Asia, making Asia's voice heard and advancing Asian cooperation over the past 10 years. It has become one of the prestigious economic forums in the world. The growth of BFA has benefited from the fast development of Asia and at the same time it has also witnessed and stimulated this historical process. Asia's development is not only effectively changing the fate of the Asian people but also exerting an increasing influence on the development of the world.
He stressed that the Asian people always have the unyielding spirit of seeking self-improvement, the innovative spirit of breaking new ground, the open and inclusive spirit of learning from others and the solidarity spirit of helping each other in difficult times. As important reflections of the Asian spirit and the invaluable assets of the Asian people, those traditions should be cherished and carried forward. Sticking to those traditions, the Asian people will harvest new achievements on the road forward and make new and greater contributions to the lofty cause of peace and development of mankind.
He noted that Asia's development stands at a new starting point entering the second decade of the 21st century. As world multi-polarization and economic globalization deepen, how to handle the relationship between development and stability remains a major task of the Asian people. We all shoulder the mission of the times of promoting common development and building a harmonious Asia. He raised the following proposals to that end.
First, respect cultural diversification and advance good-neighborly friendship. We should continue to respect each other's development paths, respect each other's practices and explorations of promoting economic and social development and improving people's living conditions, drive exchanges and cooperation through Asia's diversity and enhance cooperation in all fields.
Second, change the development pattern and advance all-round development. we should follow closely the new trends of development worldwide, change the way of economic growth, vigorously readjust the economic structure, strengthen technological innovation capacity, develop green economy, promote the balanced growth of real and virtual economy, domestic and external demand, closely combine economic growth with the improvement of people's livelihood and achieve the coordinated economic and social development.
Third, share development opportunities and jointly cope with challenges. We should step up coordination on macroeconomic policies, expand common interest and advance the common development of all members in the region. Large countries should support smaller ones, and rich countries should assist poor ones. All countries should help each other, share opportunities, cope with challenges together and try to make all members in the region benefit from the development outcomes and all the Asian people live a happier life.
Fourth, seek common ground while shelving differences and enhance common security. We should reject the cold war mentality and zero-sum mindset, advocate a new security concept featuring mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality and coordination, take care of each other's security concerns, demonstrate the utmost goodwill, wisdom and patience to settle differences through dialogue and consultation, promote regional security cooperation and try to maintain peace and stability in the region.
Fifth, advocate mutual benefit and deepen regional cooperation. We should strengthen regional cooperation mechanisms and promote their harmonious development by making best use of their advantages. We should adhere to the open regionalism and respect the presence and interest of non-Asian countries in the region. We welcome the active participation of all countries, including the BRICS, in the cooperation process in Asia so as to jointly promote peace, stability and prosperity of Asia.
He pointed out that over 10 years China has maintained rapid and sustained economic growth, lifted its economic power, comprehensive national strength and people's livelihood and made great contributions to the economic growth in Asia and the world at large. The outline of the 12th Five-Year Plan for economic and social development formulated and announced by China not long ago defines the overall tasks of economic and social development of China within the next 5 years during which China will take vigorous measures to implement the strategy of expanding domestic demand, especially the consumption demand and the strategy of "going out", participate in global economic governance and regional cooperation and build a resource-conserving and environmental-friendly society.
He emphasized that the Chinese people who have experienced great vicissitudes in modern times are deeply aware of the value of peace and the importance of development. China will unswervingly follow the path of peaceful development and the win-win strategy of opening-up. It will always give top priority to Asia in its foreign policy, stick to the policy of building good-neighborly relationship and partnership with its neighbors, promote good-neighborliness and mutually beneficial cooperation with all the other Asian countries and work hard to maintain a regional environment beneficial to Asia's peace and development.
He pointed out finally that we are full of confidence in Asia's future. Let's join hands to create a better tomorrow in Asia.
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff, South African President Jacob Zuma, South Korean Prime Minister Kim Hwang-sik, Spanish Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero and Ukrainian Prime Minister Mykola Azarov addressed the opening ceremony respectively. They extended sincere congratulations on the BFA Annual Conference 2011 and the BFA's 10th anniversary, spoke highly of the BFA's achievements over the past 10 years and elaborated on the theme of the conference. They expect to use the BFA as a platform to strengthen exchanges and cooperation with Asia, cope with challenges together and push forward common development in the world.
Chairman of the BFA Board of Directors Yasuo Fukuda, President and CEO of Volvo Group Leif Johansson, CEO of Fortescue Metals Group Ltd Andrew Forrest and Chairman of Guizhou Maotai Yuan Renguo also addressed the opening ceremony.
Secretary General of the BFA Zhou Wenzhong chaired the opening ceremony.
At noon, Hu Jintao hosted a welcome banquet for the VIPs participating in the annual conference 2011.
Liu Yongqing, Ling Jihua, Wang Huning and Dai Bingguo were present at the activities.