More than 2,000 guests from the globe will gather in Boao, a coastal town in the southern island province of Hainan, to offer advice for a further open, interconnected and innovative development of Asia and the stable recovery of the world economy.

The picture shows the BFA International Conference Center. (Photo from People’s Daily Overseas Edition)

The 2018 Boao Forum for Asia (BFA) annual conference, which is scheduled to convene from April 8 to 11, will be themed with “An Open and Innovative Asia for a World of Greater Prosperity”.

Chinese President Xi Jinping will deliver an important keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the 2018 BFA meeting, the first major home-field diplomatic event hosted by China this year.

The event also comes as 2018 marks the 40th anniversary of China's reform and opening-up, and the beginning year to implement the guidelines and spirit of the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC).

Here are five major sparkling highlights of the event.

No. 1: New prospects of reform and opening-up to be presented

Xi will give the most authoritative account on China’s great achievements and experiences of its reform and opening-up policy as well as the enlightenment, significance and influence for the world. A series of new measures on how will China open wider to the outside world and conduct a new round of in-depth reform will be presented by him as well.

No. 2: China’s development road in the new era to be expounded

China will give in-depth explanation to the guests on the profound connotation of the new era of socialism with Chinese characteristics, and introduce its new development philosophies, goals and tasks, as well as the huge opportunities the country will bring to the world in the new era.

No. 3: New proposals on co-construction of a bright future to be raised

Xi will make new proposals and clarify China’s stand on the further construction of a community with a shared future for Asia and mankind, and the creation of a bright future for Asia and the world at large.

No. 4: New consensus to be reached

Xi will, during his meetings and dialogues with foreign leaders attending the annual meeting, exchange in-depth views on multilateral pragmatic cooperation, global governance, world economy and trade and other topics. New consensus will be reached and new results will be scored from such talks.

No. 5 New impetus to be added for forum’s progress

The new office of the BFA board of directors will be sworn in this year, and Xi will have a group meeting with both the incumbent and designate board members to exchange views on forum construction and development. It indicates the sincere hopes and concrete actions of the Chinese government to promote the development of the BFA.

The 2018 annual conference will include over 60 sessions under four key topics, namely globalization and the Belt and Road Initiative, an open Asia, innovation, and reform.

In addition, two parallel sessions themed with “China and the world” and “government and market” will be held to review the achievements and experiences of China’s reform and opening-up in the past 40 years and draw plans to further deepen reform.

The forum will also set thematic discussions on the construction of Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and Xiongan New Area, rural vitalization, and ecological advancement.