Pakistan envoy to China praises BFA's role

Pakistan is an important regional economy and its leadership has actively participated in Boao Forum over the past decade, said Zhou Wenzhong, Secretary General of Boao Forum for Asia (BFA) in a meeting with Pakistan's Ambassador to China, Masood Khan here. Zhou said BFA is a regional forum established 10 years ago with the objective for promoting regional co-operation among the Asian countries.
He said the forum was set-up in the wake of an economic crisis in the West to give a collective voice to major Asian economies. In the aftermath of the current financial crisis the BFA has assumed added significance, Zhou noted. Ambassador Masood Khan said BFA has played the role of a catalyst for Asian countries in resolving their common problems and identifying new economic opportunities for them.
He said Pakistan is keen to integrate into the Asian economic and in this regard it appreciates BFA's help. He thanked the Secretary General for giving generous donation for the flood victims of the Pakistan in 2010. Zhou Wenzhong remained China's Ambassador to the United States from 2005 to 2010, as a successor of China's current Foreign Minister, Yang Jiechi.
The annual conference of BFA will take place in the southernmost part of China, Hainan Island, located in the South China Sea. The 2012 BFA Conference, one of Asia's biggest annual economic meetings, will be held from April 1 to 3 with a theme of "healthy and sustainable development."
The gathering will focus on three key issues: exploring the root source of global economy uncertainty, seeking reform and transformation and Asia's sustainable development. Representatives will meet to discuss 20 topics, including debt crises, employment and growth, the reform of the international monetary system, and the strategic breakthrough of Asian manufacturing. Roundtables for new leaders, CEOs and entrepreneurs will also be held during the conference. The BFA, founded in 2001, is an annual forum for leaders in government, business and academics to discuss pressing economic issues.