Boao Forum for Asia | Seeking Asian Consensus at the Crossroads

The Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference 2026 opened against global conflicts, with regional cooperation high on the agenda. Officials and experts agreed Asia remains the main engine of global growth, projected to expand 4.5% in 2026. Intraregional trade dependency rose to 57.2% in 2024, supported by ASEAN and China as twin stabilizers. Asia leads re-globalization amid fragmentation, with services and digital trade driving integration. Participants stressed unity and institutional cooperation to tackle volatility, supply chain risks and Middle East spillovers. They called for consensusbased, practical collaboration to foster stability and shared development.

By Li Yue, Li Jiexin(intern),Zhu Caiyun,Ren Mingchao/China Youth Daily

Photo/VCG