The 32-year old World Economic Forum
(WEF) is an older brother with rich life experience to the 2-year
Boao Forum for Asia
(BFA), its innocent baby brother.
On November 2, WEF President Klaus Schwab had an informative
conversation with Long Yongtu, secretary general of the Boao Forum
for Asia.
Long said: "WEF has existed for many years while the BFA is just
two years old, so BFA very much wishes to cooperate with WEF. WEF
has experienced many ups and downs in the past 32 years. However,
it still succeeds. As the most influnencial global economic forum,
WEF has many things worth BFA studying."
According to Long, the two economic forums are complementary. Just
as the development of the Asian economy cannot be separated from
the development of world economy, the development of BFA cannot be
separated from the development of WEF.
WEF President Klaus Schwab said: "Currently the world globalization
invites regional organizations to act as its base. Both WEF and BFA
are not just like brothers but are also mutually
complementary."
Schwab has a good impression of Boao because of infrastructure
construction and the insightful topics. "Given the fact that the
world economic order is changing fast, we really need to listen to
different supplementary voices and organize officials, experts, and
scholars to discuss issues of current concern," said Schwab.
Schwab thinks interactive and mutual trust is the soul of the World
Economic Forum.
"The forum provides a platform for government, scholars and
business circles to exchange views through dialogue. Today,
problems of all kinds exist. Development imbalance, poverty and
SARS are examples. Therefore, there is a need to discuss them with
openness and mutual trust. I believe mutual trust applies to the
Boao Forum for Asia."
Long explained the spirit of Boao Forum as openness, pragmatism and
universality.
"First, the forum is open, international and non-exclusive. It not
only discusses Asian issues, but global issues too. Its members are
not only from Asian countries, and we welcome experts and scholars
worldwide. Second, the Boao Forum not only discusses concerned
issues of governments and enterprises, it also pays attention to
the concerned voices of people, like environmental protection,
employment and traffic. Third, the forum aims to attract as many
participants as possible, thus laying a strong foundation for
itself."
Schwab praised the speech made by Chinese Premier Wen
Jiabao at the opening ceremony, saying that it was "very
impressive". "His speech mentioned China's important role in Asian
economic integration, and showed its sense of responsibility and
political influence."
Long said that "the regional cooperation that Premier Wen
emphasized is also open to the whole world, and the Boao Forum will
adopt it as a basic principle in its future work."
(China.org.cn by Tang Fuchun and Zheng Guihong, November 4,
2003)