ByZhangZhouTheBoaoForumforAsia(BFA)AnnualConference2022wascloselywatchedbybusinessrunnersandscholarsworldwideastheglobaleconomydesperatelyneedsimpetusandcertainty.ManyofthemstressedtheimportanceoftheBoaodiscussionsonAsiaandworldeconomy,aswellasglobalchallenges,sayingtheforumhelpsbuildconsensusanddrawablueprintforglobalgovernanceonsustainabledevelopment.AndrewForrest,chairmanofAustralia'sironoregiantFortescueMetalsGroup(FMG),saidthatBoaoprovidesavitalplatformtofurtherstrengthenAustralia'sbusinessandpoliticalrelationshipswithAsia,andisalsoanimportantelementofFMG'sengagementwithChinaandthewholeAsia."FMG'ssuccessandthatoftheAustralianeconomyhasbeenbuiltonthegreatpowerhousethatisAsia.Now,morethanever,thesestrongtraderelationshipsprovideeconomicstabilityasweworktogethertobuildnewopportunitiesforthefuture,"Forrestsaid.SudheendraKulkarni,formerchairmanofMumbai-basedthink-tankObserverResearchFoundation,saidthatseekingcommongroundandcommonsolutionstoglobalproblemsis"theonlywaytogoforward.""Unfortunately,Westerncountriesarenotgraspingtheimportanceofglobalcooperation,usingsomepretextortheother...tryingtobuildhurdlesonthepathtoglobalizationandglobalcooperation,"hesaid,addingthattopromotegrowth,theworldmustaccelerateglobalizationinsteadofpushingitback."Protectionismandunilateralismarenegativeforceswhichunderminesmalleconomies,hindertheirdevelopment,anddeepenpoverty,"saidJosephMatthews,seniorprofessorattheBELTEIInternationalUniversityinPhnomPenh.MatthewsaddedthatChina'smyriadeffortstopromoteeconomicdevelopmentthroughprogramssuchastheBeltandRoadInitiative(BRI)areessentialtoboosttheglobaleconomyandfreetrade.CavinceAdhere,aKenya-basedinternationalrelationsscholar,saidthatcooperationundertheBRIhasbecomearoadofcooperation,health,recoveryandgrowthforcountriesalongtheroutes.InKenya,theBRIprojectshaveprovidedlocalpeoplewithjobsdespitetheeconomichardshipcausedbytheCOVID-19pandemic,Adhereadded.(Source:Xinhua)Editor:DisclaimerTheviewsandopinionsexpressedinthisarticlearethoseoftheauthor's,GMW.cnmakesnorepresentationsastoaccuracy,suitability,orvalidityofanyinformationonthissiteandwillnotbeliableforanyerrors,omissions,ordelaysinthisinformation.