The Boao Forum for Asia (BFA) Annual Conference 2009 with the theme "Asia: Managing Beyond Crisis" is to be held from April 17 to 19 in Boao, a coastal town and the permanent BFA site in southern China's island province of Hainan. [CFP]

Major events in the history of the BFA include:

• Feb. 27, 2001: The BFA is officially established, with the Declaration on the BFA adopted by delegates from 26 founding members. Former Chinese President Jiang Zemin addressed and presented a poem at the inauguration ceremony.
• April 11, 2002: An 11-member board of directors for the BFA was elected, with former Philippine President Fidel Ramos as chairman and former Chinese Vice Minister of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation Zhang Xiang as secretary-general.
• April 12-13, 2002: The first BFA annual conference was held with the theme "New Century, New Challenge, A New Asia", attended by more than 1,900 delegates from 48 countries and regions. Former Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji gave a keynote speech at the opening ceremony.
• Nov. 2-3, 2003: The BFA Annual Conference 2003 was held, with the theme "Asia seeking common development through cooperation". Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao addressed the opening ceremony.
• April 24-25, 2004: The annual conference was held, with the theme "Asia searching for win-win: Asia opens to the world." Chinese President Hu Jintao delivered a keynote speech at the opening.
• April 22-24, 2005: The annual conference was held, with the theme "Asia searching for win-win: the new role for Asia". Jia Qinglin, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, China's top advisory body, delivered a keynote speech at the opening ceremony.
• April 21-23, 2006: The annual conference was held, with the theme "Asia searching for win-win: drive growth to the next level". Former Chinese Vice President Zeng Qinghong delivered a keynote speech.
• April 20-22, 2007: The annual conference was held, with the theme "Asia Winning in Today's Global Economy - Innovation and Sustainable Development". China's top legislator Wu Bangguo delivered a keynote speech.
• April 12-13, 2008: The annual conference was held, with the theme "Green Asia: moving towards win-win through changes". Chinese President Hu Jintao delivered a keynote speech

(Xinhua News Agency April 17, 2009)