International Observation: Starting from Boao, what should the future look like?

Ask AI · How does the Boao Forum help Asia maintain stability amid turbulence?

Zhou Xin

In March 2026, the world fell into unprecedented division and turmoil: fighting in the Middle East continued to spread, the Russia-Ukraine conflict became locked in a protracted stalemate, global energy prices fluctuated violently, the monetary system was hit, and global industrial and supply chains were repeatedly torn apart. Humanity seems to have reached a critical crossroads of “conflict or cooperation, division or unity, regression or progress.” Where will the future of the world go?

In a world of intertwined upheaval, Asia writes “a better view here” with stability and vitality. A few days ago, the 2026 Annual Conference of the Boao Forum for Asia was held. This year also marks the 25th anniversary of the Boao Forum for Asia, and it is the first annual meeting held since the entire Hainan Free Trade Port began full operation and closed at the whole-island level. About 2,000 representatives from political, business, and academic circles from more than 60 countries and regions gathered together to sketch a picture of future development:

Here, conflicts can be resolved peacefully. When fighting continues to burn in some regions, the signals delivered by the Boao Forum for Asia are clear and strong: dialogue rather than confrontation, consultation rather than coercion—this is the right path to resolve differences. After the 1997 Asian financial crisis, Asian countries came to recognize the importance of building communication platforms and jointly responding to challenges, and the Boao Forum for Asia was established as a result. Over the past 25 years, Asia has achieved a historic rise, but it has also faced many crises and challenges. Thanks to mechanisms such as the Boao Forum for Asia, Asian countries have united to respond to crises, maintain basic stability, and even created the “Asian Miracle.” Asian practice has proven that even when contradictions are complex and institutional differences are significant, peaceful coexistence is not a luxury. As long as all parties follow a shared, comprehensive, cooperative, and sustainable security vision and resolve differences through peaceful means, they can find the greatest common denominator for cooperation.

Here, cooperation can achieve win-win outcomes. A report released at the 2026 Annual Conference of the Boao Forum for Asia shows that the share of GDP of Asian economies is expected to rise from 49.2% in 2025 to 49.7% in 2026. Intraregional trade dependence in Asia will increase from 56.3% in 2023 to 57.2% in 2024. This means that, despite uncertainties such as the rise of protectionism in global trade, Asian countries are using action to prove that regional cooperation remains an important engine for shared development. The opening of the China-Laos Railway has helped Laos change from a “landlocked country” to a “land-connected country.” Over the decade of Lancang-Mekong cooperation, trade between China and the five Mekong countries has grown by more than 150%. These vivid examples are continually demonstrating that development among countries is not a zero-sum game, and the shared cake can grow bigger and bigger.

Here, order can be fair and just. In today’s world, unilateralism and protectionism are on the rise. The Boao Forum for Asia’s advocacy for upholding genuine multilateralism is all the more valuable. Here, rules are not unilaterally written by a few countries; development rights are not attached with political conditions; and whether big or small, every country’s voice deserves to be heard. Today, the Global South accounts for 80% of the world’s economic growth, yet it still has not been sufficiently reflected in the global system of economic governance. This year, the forum has specifically set up a sub-forum titled “Improving Global Economic Governance: The Role of the Global South.” Genuine multilateralism must bring the Global South into rule-making, rather than having it passively accept rules.

Here, civilizations can communicate, learn from one another, and draw mutual inspiration. Asia is an important birthplace of human civilizations, where diverse civilizations converge and coexist. Historically, some countries promoted the idea of “civilizational superiority,” causing clashes of ideologies and values, and even used “civilizational conflict” as a pretext to launch invasions and impose hegemonic sanctions, leading to wars, poverty, and turmoil. China, by contrast, advocates the Global Civilizations Initiative; its core meaning is that civilizations have no inherent ranking of superiority or inferiority, and each civilization deserves to be respected and passed on. At the Boao Forum for Asia, representatives from various countries discuss paths for the inheritance and innovation of civilizations on an equal footing, expand consensus through exchanges, and promote Asian civilizations toward a more inclusive and more prosperous direction.

The 25 years of the Boao Forum for Asia are 25 years of Asia’s unity and striving forward. As this year’s grand gathering comes to a close, what remains is humanity’s expectation for the future: with peace as the underlying tone, forsaking the law of the jungle; with win-win cooperation as the path, rejecting zero-sum games; with fairness as the foundation, breaking hegemonic monopolies; and with inclusiveness in heart, bidding farewell to civilizational conflicts.

This is the answer Asia offers to the world—and a vivid illustration of a community with a shared future for mankind. Starting from Boao, we hope that Asia will move forward alongside other regions of the world to jointly build a beautiful world that features lasting peace, universal security, shared prosperity, openness and inclusiveness, and a clean and beautiful environment—so that the starry river of human civilization will shine forever.

( author is an international affairs observer )