BOAO — The Boao Forum for Asia (BFA) annual conference concluded on April 21 in southern China's island province of Hainan, with consensus built on joining hands to fight the COVID-19 pandemic and strengthening global governance.

The four-day conference in Boao, a coastal town in Hainan, attracted more than 2,600 attendees, including government officials, entrepreneurs and scholars, from over 60 countries and regions.

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Boao Forum for Asia. With the theme — A World in Change: Join Hands to Strengthen Global Governance and Advance Belt and Road Cooperation, this year's conference responded to the latest concerns of countries and regions in Asia and provided an important platform for various parties to discuss ways to improve global governance and cooperation.

BFA Secretary-General Li Baodong said the meeting helped achieve positive results and build consensus on joining hands to fight the pandemic and strengthen global governance.

The conference also called for upholding multilateralism and strengthening communication and coordination, and explored ways to revive the world economy and promote common development, Li said.

The BFA, founded in 2001, is a nongovernmental and nonprofit international organization committed to promoting economic integration and sustainable development in Asia.