The annual B-F-A conference is well underway with over 600 delegates from 42 countries and regions in attendance.

 This year’s theme is “The World in COVID-19 and Beyond: Working Together for Global Development and Shared Future.” President Xi Jinping in his speech stressed the importance of multilateralism in facing some of the world’s toughest issues.

CGTN’s Dong Xu reports from Boao.

Joining the discussion:

• Sourabh Gupta is the Senior Asia-Pacific international relations policy specialist at the Institute for China-American studies.
• Anton Fedyashin is a professor of history at American University and author of “Liberals Under Autocracy: Modernization and Civil Society in Russia.
• Yan Liang is the Endowed Chair and Professor of Economics at Willamette University.
• Einar Tangen is a Political and Economic Affairs Commentator.

"Stability brings a country prosperity while instability leads a country to poverty," Chinese President Xi Jinping said citing an old saying from the "Guanzi" collection of ancient Chinese writings. What is China's perspective on security for countries in the world? Check below: pic.twitter.com/VbYf6FyGib

— Global Times (@globaltimesnews) April 21, 2022

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday called on countries around the world to work together to tackle global governance challenges. Xi made the remarks while delivering a keynote speech via video at the opening ceremony of the Boao Forum for Asia annual conference. #GLOBALink pic.twitter.com/EaOoDi9vyH

— China Xinhua News (@XHNews) April 21, 2022