Boao Town, Qionghai City, Hainan Province, south China - Recent (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
1. Aerial shot of Boao Forum for Asia (BFA) Annual Conference 2026 venue

Boao Town, Qionghai City, Hainan Province, south China - March 24, 2026 (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
2. Various of BFA events in progress, attendees

Boao Town, Qionghai City, Hainan Province, south China - March 23, 2026 (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Zafar Uddin Mahmood, policy advisor to secretary general of Boao Forum for Asia:
"China has changed from the factory to an innovation center of the world. So now you talk about any technology, maybe in the renewable energy, green development, AI, China is leading the world."

FILE: China - Date Unknown (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
4. Aerial shot of facilities at green hydrogen plant
5. Aerial shot of solar panels
6. Various of mechanical arms in operation
7. Various of robotic arms in operation

Boao Town, Qionghai City, Hainan Province, south China - March 24, 2026 (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
8. SOUNDBITE (English) Geoffrey Brooks, professor of engineering from Swinburne University of Technology:
"And there's a lot of disruption at the moment, as you know. So I think China is playing a more prominent role, which is appropriate. And the game I love, which is still and China's enormous, so it's crazy not to be wanting to be involved."

Boao Town, Qionghai City, Hainan Province, south China - March 24, 2026 (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
9. Various of press conference in progress
10. Various of copies of Asian Economic Outlook and Integration Progress Annual Report
11. Various of press conference in progress, reporters

Boao Town, Qionghai City, Hainan Province, south China - Recent (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
12. Aerial shot of Boao Forum for Asia (BFA) Annual Conference 2026 venue

Participants at the Boao Forum for Asia (BFA) 2026 Annual Conference expressed that China's transition toward a new stage of high-quality development will bring significant opportunities to the world.

Wednesday is the opening day of this year's forum, featuring seven sub-forums - focusing on Chinese economic outlooks, global free trade ports, and green economy, among others - throughout the day, along with a press conference and the release of flagship reports.

As 2026 marks the start of China's 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030), attendees at the BFA hailed the country’s economic growth, saying it is leading the world's development in many areas.

"China has changed from factories to an innovation center of the world. So now you talk about any technology, maybe in the renewable energy, green development, AI, China is leading the world," said Zafar Uddin Mahmood, policy advisor to the Secretary General of the Boao Forum for Asia.

The forum also served as a platform for participants to assess China's evolving global role amid rising uncertainties, with many noting that the country's continued openness and innovation-driven growth are contributing to stability and confidence in the world economy.

"And there's a lot of disruption at the moment, as you know. So I think China is playing a more prominent role, which is appropriate. And the game I love, which is still and China's enormous, so it's crazy not to be wanting to be involved," said Geoffrey Brooks, professor of engineering from Swinburne University of Technology in Australia.

The forum also released two flagship reports. One of them, the Asian Economic Outlook and Integration Progress Annual Report, noted that China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations continue to stand out as anchors of stability in the region.

China plays a key role in connecting diverse markets and global value chains, while continuously providing new drivers of global economic growth, the report said.