南方财经全媒体记者李依农 杨雨莱 博鳌、广州报道

From March 25 to 28, the Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference 2025 is being held in Boao, Hainan. Every year, Boao brings together political leaders, business executives, scholars, and experts from all over the world to discuss global economic trends, the future of regional cooperation in Asia, sustainable development, and more. In this era of rapid change, how can Asia continue to move forward steadily? And how can it provide more certainty to global development? These are exactly the key issues that will be discussed in the coming days at the forum.

Earlier this morning, the Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference 2025 Press Conference took place, featuring the launch of the Asian Economic Outlook and Integration Progress Annual Report 2025. The report highlights that despite increasing uncertainties in global economic growth, Asia remains the primary engine of the world economy and continues to deepen regional integration. Now, let’s hear from the participants here on-site. 

Zafar Uddin Mahmood, Policy Advisor to the Secretary General of BFA 

We just heard “Asian Economic Outlook and Integration Progress Annual Report 2025”. They think Asian international trade's significance has grown from 2023 to 2024, and experts projected further growth in 2025 due to diverse data analyses. So, we should be confident. China plays a crucial role in international trade and the economy. If China thrives, the world benefits.

Not only DeepSeek, but innovation hubs are also shifting to Asia, where China's Greater Bay Area is key. I believe China will excel more in innovation. As I said, China is playing the key role in global transformation, China's economy is a driving force for the global development. So if China's economy is stably developing, it will bring stability to the global economy.

As we look to 2025, the global economic landscape is shifting. We face challenges like rising protectionism and complex geopolitics, yet Asia continues to seize opportunities in innovation, sustainability, and regional cooperation.

John Keane, Professor at the University of Sydney 

In general, the major initiatives in matters of global cooperation, China has advocated many main initiatives that are important. I could mention, randomly the establishment of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), the Americans trying to boycott it, the Japanese did not join. There are now more than 100 countries that have joined AIIB. It is an example of cross-border cooperation. China secured the world's first biodiversity agreement in Montreal two years ago. China is now the main contributor, financially, to the United Nations, and the great defender of its various organizations in the special agencies, for example. So we're witnessing this strange dynamic in which the United States is not interested in cross-border cooperation. It's me first. China has, so to say, an historic interest in preserving and nurturing these forms of cross-border cooperation.

Temir Porras, Managing Director at Global Sovereign Advisory

Asia has been the engine of economic growth for decades now. And I see it as a combination of a commitment to free trade, to facilitate trade among each other. That is key. And that is key to remember in a context where that free trade policy is being under attack by some other economies in the world and also by an investment in technology and on the needs of the people. So that combination of free trade, high-level industries with components of technology and also a focus on the needs of people and increasing the purchasing power of the people are in my opinion, the key for the success of the Asian economies.

It is key to keep committed to regional integration, not only in Asia, it needs to be replicated in other regions in the world that would be well inspired to see the example of regional integration in Asia. It is important that the key economies in Asia like China are drivers of that economic integration.

Today, the Sustainable Development: Asia and the World Annual Report 2025 has also been released. The report underscores the urgent need for global cooperation in addressing climate change, highlighting the roles China and Asia play in this global effort. With climate challenges mounting, how can Asia continue to lead in sustainability, and what obstacles lie ahead? 

Erik Berglof, Chief Economist of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB)

Obviously, the current geopolitical situation complicates any discussion, any global collaboration on climate. But my hope and my belief is that so much is ongoing, so much is happening, particularly in Asia, and that will overcome these hopefully short-term disturbances. And we don't have a lot of time, and we are already lagging in terms of all needed action. So we really need to come together. And of course, when some contribute less, others have to contribute more. And I think that's the approach we have to take.

So on China, I think China's course is very steady. There have been very clear announcements of what the targets are. I think you have already achieved when it comes to the green technologies, amazing progress. It will overachieve its own objectives. That's important not only for China, that's important for the rest of the world. I think there are a lot of lessons, good and bad, but lessons from China that could be very helpful for other countries in the modern developing world to achieve the same outcomes.

Helena McLeod, Deputy Director General of the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI)

Asia is very heterogeneous. You've got an enormous number of countries, some of whom are global emitters and global leaders, and others who are very low-income countries with high levels of poverty. So there's been quite heterogeneous, different progress among different countries.

One of the areas that in some senses, some countries have made progress on the protection and conservation of biodiversity. But that is an area that some other countries have deteriorated. You see some countries like in East Asia, Japan and Korea taking lead on investment in technology and green jobs. And China, of course, taking a big lead in terms of renewables. So there is very significant progress in some countries.

The global economy is so interesting. There's a philosopher, one of the top philosophers globally, who said two main threats to the human race, one is climate change, the other is AI. So there's a massive upside to AI and there's a massive potential downside to AI. I think the biggest risk to the globe on artificial intelligence is that it exacerbates inequality.

I actually don't have a crystal ball when it comes to AI, but it is a priority of Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) because we recognize there are huge benefits. One thing I would say is in terms of the energy cost, it has really significantly increased energy demand. It's by a huge quantum. So that side needs to be addressed as AI develops in the globe, managing it in a carbon-neutral way.

Chief Producer: Yu Xiaona

Supervising Producer: Shi Shi

Editor: He Jia

Reporter: Li Yinong, Hu Huiyin, Wu Bin, Yang Yulai 

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New Media Coordination: Ding Qingyun, Zeng Tingfang, Lai Xi, Huang Daxun

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