Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference 2025 opens in China's Hainan

The Boao Forum for Asia (BFA) 2025 Annual Conference opened in the town of Boao, south China's Hainan Province on Tuesday, with discussions revolving around four main topics including global trends, growth, outlooks and new drivers.

At the first press conference held on Tuesday morning, BFA Secretary General Zhang Jun said this year's event will focus on four subject areas: building trust and promoting cooperation in a fast-changing world; re-balancing globalization for inclusive development; accelerating the Sustainable Development Goals for more effective responses to global challenges; and strengthening AI application and governance for innovation-driven development.

With the theme "Asia in the changing World: Towards a shared Future", the four-day event has attracted nearly 2,000 attendees from more than 60 countries and regions to participate in more than 50 events and many bilateral events, according to the press conference.

"The theme of this year's conference is closely related to the major issues and challenges of our time, which will help us to better grasp the direction of progress in the changing situation. Through the conference, we hope to send a strong signal to the international community to maintain confidence, overcome difficulties, cooperate in solidarity and create a better future," Zhang said at the press conference.

Two annual reports titled "Asian Economic Outlook and Integration Progress" and "Addressing Climate Change: Asia Going Green" were also released at the press conference.

The "Asian Economic Outlook and Integration Progress" report pointed out that despite the increasing uncertainty of global economic growth, Asia will still be the main engine of the world economy; at the same time, Asia will continue to maintain its position at the core of the global value chain, and China will remain the center of the global manufacturing industry and global value chain.

In terms of green transformation and sustainable development, Asia has made remarkable progress in the field of new green technologies, and is expected to become a global leader in advanced battery materials, biodegradable plastics, tidal energy, green hydrogen and other fields, and play a leading role in promoting the global green transformation.

"The Asian economy, with its new potential and development space, has become an important force and cornerstone in stabilizing and supporting the world economy. The new generation of free trade agreements, represented by the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (RCEPA), is advancing steadily and releasing huge market dividends. The deepening of the digital economy and green economy is driving trade in services as a new highlight for regional economic integration in Asia," said Zhang.

Speaking at the press conference, Zhang Yuyan, director of the Institute of World Economics and Politics at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, called for stronger confidence in Asia's future development.

"Analysis shows that Asia's annual economic growth will reach 4.5 percent in 2025. In addition to the growth, we will also see the rise of Asia's share in global economy from 48.1 percent last year to this year's 48.6 percent in purchasing power parity terms. So we have every reason to remain confident about Asia's growth and future," said Zhang.

The Boao Forum for Asia was founded in 2001 and offers a platform for dialogue between leaders from government, business, academia and other organizations to discuss economic, social and environmental issues, promote economic cooperation and support the sustainable development of Asia's economy.

Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference 2025 opens in China's Hainan

Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference 2025 opens in China's Hainan

Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference 2025 opens in China's Hainan

Seiya Matsuno, a Japanese scholar, on Tuesday donated a trove of wartime Japanese documents to the Guangdong Provincial Archives in China, marking the first appearance of original Japanese evidence detailing Imperial Japan's systematic forgery of Chinese currency in Hong Kong during its invasion of China.

The donated archives, authenticated by WWII historians at South China Normal University, include correspondence between Japan's War Ministry and the General Staff of its Expeditionary Forces in China.

They conclusively prove that Japanese troops looted the Kuomintang government's banknote printing machines in Hong Kong and mass-produced counterfeit currency as part of a calculated economic warfare strategy. The records specify the counterfeit bills' quantities, production sites, distribution channels and usage protocols.

Matsuno, a researcher at the International Peace Research Institute of Meiji Gakuin University in Japan and a distinguished professor at Heilongjiang International University, said that the fact that the Japanese army manufactured counterfeit banknotes for economic purposes can be verified for the first time with historical data.

"The fact that the Japanese army manufactured counterfeit banknotes for economic purposes has been revealed through the testimony of relevant personnel of the Japanese Army. Through the information disclosed this time, such fact can be verified for the first time with historical documentation, which is very important," Matsuno said.

"This was written by the aggressors themselves, which is tantamount to a confession of the Japanese invasion. So I think it has very important historical value for further in-depth disclosure of Japan's war crimes against China," said Xiao Zili, a history professor at South China Normal University.

Also on Tuesday, Matsuno, known for previously donating evidence related to Japan's Unit 731 and chemical warfare in China, also contributed a photo album from the Imperial Army's 104th Division, which participated in the invasion of Guangdong.

He shared research on Japan's "gas warfare" and "secret war" in southern China, and stressed the importance of learning from history to cherish peace.

The year of 2025 marks the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War.

Scholar unveils document of Japan's counterfeit-note warfare crimes in China