CIRD’s Highlights from the Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference 2025

From March 25 to 28, the Boao Forum for Asia (BFA) Annual Conference 2025 was held in Boao, Hainan. Led by Professor Chi Fulin, President of China Institute for Reform and Development (CIRD), the CIRD delegation participated in the Annual Conference and organized a series of academic discussions and international cooperation activities. These efforts focused on advancing regional economic integration in Asia, with RCEP as a central pillar, and promoting the development of the Hainan Free Trade Port, through discussion and exchange, advocate and suggest, and joint development initiatives.

During the conference, Professor Chi participated in several key sessions, including “Global Free Trade Port Development Forum” and sub-forum on “Unlocking Greater Potential of Regional Free Trade Arrangements”. He shared his perspectives on the evolving global landscape, the future of RCEP, regional economic integration in Asia, and the strategic positioning of the Hainan Free Trade Port as a major gateway for China’s high-level opening-up. His remarks received wide attention and had significant influence.

At this year’s conference, CIRD played a proactive role as a think tank partner and deepened its collaboration with the BFA. It contributed to the drafting of the Forum’s flagship report, “Asian Economic Outlook and Integration Progress 2025”. CIRD also hosted the 2025 Boao Roundtable Dinner on the theme “Free Trade under the Reshaping of Global Economic Order”, which brought together Chinese and international experts for in-depth discussion and exchange.

The Global Free Trade Port Development Forum was one of the key thematic forums at this year’s Annual Conference. As the co-organizer, the Hainan Institute for Free Trade Port Studies (HIFTPS) provided strong intellectual support and played an active role in agenda design, topic formulation, and guest coordination, with the support of the BFA Secretariat and the CPC Hainan Provincial Committee and the People’s Government of Hainan Province.

During the conference, Professor Chi met with Chung Eun Tae, Co-CEO of SK China, for discussions on deepening institutional cooperation. He also gave interviews to Chinese and international media outlets including Xinhua News Agency, China Media Group, China Daily, People’s Daily Online, China News Service, Yicai, Hainan Daily, Hainan Broadcasting Station, and TASS.

Meanwhile, Yang Rui, Executive President of CIRD and President of the RCEP Research Institute, and Kuang Xianming, Vice President of CIRD, held discussions with Danny Quah, Dean of the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy at the National University of Singapore, on strengthening academic exchange and cooperation.