Chinese premier meets members of BFA board of directors

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang (L) meets with members of the Boao Forum for Asia (BFA) board of directors in Boao, South China's Hainan province, March 24, 2016. [Photo/Xinhua]

BOAO - Chinese Premier Li Keqiang met with members of the Boao Forum for Asia (BFA) board of directors Thursday in China's southern city of Sanya, hailing the forum as a platform for countries to open their minds and conduct discussions for innovation and industrial revolution.

As the world economy is undergoing changes nurturing a new industrial revolution, Asia's cultural diversity and inclusiveness could inject vitality to development, Li said.

He expressed hope that the forum will continue to lead thoughts and ideas, assist Asian countries to draw on each others' strength and spearhead innovation and industrial revolution.

Hailing Asia's large population and cultural diversity, Li said that it is the harmonious and peaceful environment that contributes to regional countries' development, including China.

All countries in the region should promote understanding and reach consensus through dialogue and consultation, he said, as harmony, which contributes to sound development environment, is achieved only through common understanding.

Li also pledged to continue the opening up policy and strengthen cooperation with all the countries in the world.

"China has benefited from reform and opening up and the door of opening up to the outside world will be wider," he said.

Applauding Li's keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the forum as conducive to increasing confidence in China's economic prospect, chairman of the BFA Yasuo Fukuda and other members of BFA boards of directors, including former French Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin and former Singaporean Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong, expressed their belief that China's economy will maintain growth and continue to inject vitalities to world economic development.