Boao Forum and Yadav-Xi meeting

Yet another chapter has been added to the age-old friendly relations between Nepal and China. Chinese government invited Nepalese President Dr Ram Baran Yadav to address the Boao Forum for Asia 2015, which has been taken by all Nepalese as an honor to Nepal and Nepalese people. This is the testimony of the fact that China attaches greater importance to relations and friendship with Nepal more than with any other countries in the region.

President Yadav is the third Nepal’s Head of State to address the Boao Forum for Asia as King Birendra and king Gyanendra had earlier addressed the Forum. It is the first time that Nepalese head of state was invited by China to address the Boao Forum after Nepal was declared a republic. Thus, President Yadav’s China visit and his address to the Boao Forum for Asia are highly significant in terms of friendly relations between these two close Asian neighbors and also for peace and prosperity in the region and in the world at large.

The Boao Forum is Asia’s largest gathering in which leaders of this region and beyond participate to share views with their counterparts in the region with the objective of transforming the world in general and Asia in particular into a safer and more prosperous zone through better understanding and meaningful cooperation. Boao Forum for Asia is a non-governmental international initiative and its idea was first mooted in 1998 by Fidel V. Ramos, former President of the Philippines, Bob Hawke, former Prime Minister of Australia, and Morihiro Hosokawa, former Prime Minister of Japan. Although the idea was floated since 1998, the forum came into the shape in 2001 when the first conference was held. The name Boao Forum for Asia was given as Boao city of China’s Hainan Province serves as the permanent site of its headquarters. Since then, this forum has been annual conference at Boao of China. As the headquarters is in Hainan, China’s role is, therefore, more important in shaping its agendas and functionaries. 

This is a forum which has mainly focused on meaningful cooperation in the region for greater benefit of the people. All leaders including Chinese President, who was the center of attraction in the conclave, laid more emphasis on greater degree and constructive partnership and connectivity in the region for development and prosperity. In fact, this part of the world, despite having tremendous resources and potentials, has lagged behind in development, although some of the countries of Asia are well ahead in economic growth and level of development. Many Asian countries are still struggling hard to get out of poverty, backwardness and hunger. This situation requires greater degree of connectivity and cooperation among Asian countries—both developed and developing countries alike. China, thus, deserves appreciation for hosting and facilitating the conference.

This conference is important in the sense that it provides opportunity for world leaders to exchange ideas and build a framework of cooperation. More importantly, this forum has become an important opportunities for Asian leaders and others to learn the development experiences mainly from China as it has emerged  from a poverty stricken country to a global economic power within a short span of a couple of decades. As Boao Forum for Asia is headquartered in China, it has greater significance in the present global scenario. At a time when global power is being shifted to Asia with particular focus and attention on China, Boao Forum could be turned into a center of world economic focus in the 21^st century. Countries in Asia and beyond are expected to extract maximum benefit from this forum for the benefit and interest of Asian countries.

There have been quite a number of initiates being taken in the international arena under the leadership of China, which are expected to have a greater impact both in Asia and the world. The BRICS, Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, Shanghai Cooperation Organization and the Boao Forum are some new and noble initiatives that have already left an indelible mark in the international development and relations, thanks largely to some newly emerging economies including China.

Nepal has attached importance to Boao Forum as it has been participating in this conclave right from the beginning and takes this forum as an opportunity to enable greater degree of cooperation among developing countries of Asia. This is exactly what Nepalese President Dr Ram Baran Yadav raised during his address in the Boao Forum for Asia 2015. He clearly called upon the world leaders to get engage in more meaningful dialogue, cooperation and partnership for peace, development and prosperity not only in Asia but in the entire world.

This forum proved to be an important opportunity for Nepal to exchange ideas with other leaders of Asia and also with Chinese leaders and official. On the sidelines of the Boao conference, President Yadav met with Chinese President Xi Jinping in which they discussed ways for boosting cooperation between Nepal and China. It was during the meeting with President Yadav, Chinese President Xi announced significant increase in the volume of Chinese aid to Nepal.

Welcoming Yadav to the annual conference, Xi said China-Nepal relationship is a model of peaceful coexistence and mutually beneficial cooperation between big and small countries. President Xi more particularly laid emphasis that China cherished friendship with Nepal and that China is willing to be Nepal's good friend of mutual respect and mutual support, good partner of common development and common prosperity and good neighbor of mutual assistance in security. In response Nepalese President appreciated China’s good neighborly attitude and increased aid to Nepal and said that Nepal always valued highly the friendly relations with China.

The Boao Forum for Asia 2015 provided the opportunity for both Nepalese and Chinese presidents to meet and interact on issues of bilateral interest in a more focused manner. As close neighbors and true friends, Nepal and China are, therefore, required to share such regional international forums not only for their bilateral interest but also for world peace, brotherhood, friendship and cooperation.