Defying headwinds from the lingering COVID-19 pandemic, fragile global economic recovery and complex geopolitics, the Boao Forum for Asia (BFA) Annual Conference 2022 has voiced the importance of an open mind and coordinated global actions loud and clear.
Themed “The World in COVID-19 & Beyond: Working Together for Global Development and Shared Future,” the forum was held from Wednesday to Friday in Boao, a coastal town in China’s southernmost province of Hainan. It gathered government officials, heads of international organizations, experts and entrepreneurs from all over the world to discuss the post-pandemic development agenda.
From improving public health, promoting common prosperity, and realizing carbon neutrality to proposing the Global Security Initiative, China has shared its wisdom and demonstrated its resolution to bring more certainties to the world’s prospects.
Delivering remarks for the opening ceremony, International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva said that China as the world’s second-largest economy is of great significance to promoting the world’s economic recovery.
Meanwhile, all countries over the globe should strengthen their cooperation to achieve the goal. “In a world of change, one thing remains constant — the importance of solidarity between countries,” Georgieva said.
BRIDGING IMMUNIZATION GAP
“Last year when we met, much of the talk was on COVID-19. This year, the virus is still here with us,” said BFA’s chairman Ban Ki-moon in his welcome speech during the opening ceremony of this year’s conference.
To date, the world has recorded more than 500 million COVID-19 infections and the novel coronavirus has claimed the lives of over 6.2 million people. For humanity to clinch a final victory against the pandemic, more hard efforts are needed.
China has provided over 2.1 billion doses of vaccines to more than 120 countries and international organizations. It will follow through with the pledged donation of 600 million and 150 million doses of vaccines to Africa and ASEAN countries respectively, as part of its effort to close the immunization gap.
Be it in delivering vaccines abroad or producing them overseas, China has honored its commitments with concrete actions. “China action” has won rounds of applause from BFA attendees.
“China is doing its best, not only to protect its own people but also to make a huge contribution,” said Margaret Chan Fung Fu-chun, former director-general of the World Health Organization (WHO).
Alessandro Golombiewski Teixeira, a former chief economic advisor to the president of Brazil, is “a big supporter” of China’s dynamic zero-COVID approach.
“I think China can inspire countries to take this as a serious matter because you are talking about the life of its people,” he said, adding that other countries may not be able to copy the Chinese model, but can learn from the Chinese mentality to better deal with the pandemic and to avoid as many deaths as possible.
TOWARD GREENER FUTURE
Ranging from the venues which are solely powered by green electricity, to the recyclable and degradable cups provided to BFA guests, low-carbon applications and design details can be spotted throughout the BFA venues.
The conference’s green transition has mirrored China’s continuous pursuit of a greener future. China has announced its ambitious targets of peaking CO2 emissions before 2030 and achieving carbon neutrality before 2060.
China, the world’s largest carbon emitter, has become the largest user of renewable energy over the years, with its carbon intensity slashed significantly. The country’s enterprises are also scrambling to walk the talk.
During the BFA, a newly developed stainless steel material bought by BROAD Group caught the attention of many guests. The construction material can reduce carbon emissions by 90 kg per square meter, equivalent to the amount of carbon absorbed by five trees.
Traditional industries in China have also jumped on the bandwagon to accelerate the green shift. China’s leading oil and gas producer China National Petroleum Corporation announced intensifying its efforts in green transformation during the BFA, particularly in the fields of technological innovation and eco-friendly development.
“Carbon neutrality may become a novel change in the global civilization form,” said Liu Qiao, dean of Guanghua School of Management, Peking University, adding that China is actively engaged in the upgrade.
PURSUING COMMON PROSPERITY
“Absolute poverty can be eradicated in a relatively short time,” said Jeffery Sachs, professor at Columbia University and the author of “The End of Poverty,” during a BFA sub-forum.
The victory of China’s battle against absolute poverty echoed his opinion.
China has raised nearly 800 million people out of poverty over the past four decades, which can be deemed as a catalyst for propelling the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development goals.
Now, China has embarked on a new journey toward common prosperity. By 2035, the country is expected to have basically achieved socialist modernization.
Sachs pointed out that abundant resources, including high-quality education, health care services and infrastructure, coordinated by a proactive government for everyone are the keys to the success in realizing the goal.
“I think we should develop a global common ethic around a common prosperity,” said Sachs, adding that China’s idea is inspiring to other countries as it ensures people’s right to live a decent life.
Ian Goldin, former vice president of the World Bank, also praised China’s pursuit of common prosperity.
“We need to coordinate global resources effectively and create a sustainable environment,” he said.
Once an obscure fishing village, Boao has gradually developed into a high-level dialogue platform with great global influences over the past two decades. Meanwhile, Hainan has been striving to become China’s largest free trade port under the country’s firm determination to build an open world economy and promote balanced, coordinated and inclusive global development.
“China is playing an increasingly important role in both economic globalization and global governance, and we should grasp the global trend and fulfill our responsibilities,” said Chi Fulin, head of the Hainan-based China Institute for Reform and Development.
