The 1st CEO Summit of the Boao Forum for Asia (BFA) is to be held on November 19 to 21 in Shenzhen, the BFA Secretariat and Shenzhen's municipal government announced at a press conference yesterday.

Prime Minister of Thailand, Thaksin Shinawatra, and more than 600 entrepreneurs from Asia and other parts of the world are expected to attend the event, which will be themed "Global Vision and Challenges."

The BFA's Secretary-General Long Yongtu said it will mark a new platform for Asian and world business leaders to focus on current economic issues, exchanges and cooperation, and substantive and pragmatic discussions.

As it will be near the year's end, a special session will be devoted to World Economic Development in 2006: Prospects and Estimates. Senior economists from prestigious institutions such as Citigroup, Merrill Lynch, J.P. Morgan, CLSA and Goldman Sachs have been invited to comment on global economic trends amid a diversity of complex factors.

Thaksin and ministers for economic affairs and trade from Asian countries are expected to share their insights on the role of business leaders in Asian and world economic growth.

Given the importance of energy for the world economy, another session has been set aside for Energy and Sustainable Development.

The summit aims to touch upon a wide range of issues of interest to business leaders, including corporate branding, technology innovation, internationalization and individuality of Asian enterprises.

It also intends to promote detailed discussions on individual sectors and produce practical and effective solutions.

Top executives from the world's largest logistics enterprises such as Maersk, UPS and FedEx will meet their Chinese counterparts, while real estate developers from China will join government officials in sorting out their respective responsibilities in housing a billion Chinese.

Liu Yingli, executive vice mayor of Shenzhen, said the summit would further elevate the influence and appeal of BFA in south China, which will contribute further to the world economy.

Li also said it would offer an opportunity for entrepreneurs in Shenzhen and China at large to share with and learn from the world's business leaders and help them develop sooner.

BFA was initiated by former Prime Minister of Australia Robert James Lee Hawke, former Prime Minister of Japan Hosokawa Morihiro and former President of the Philippines Fidel Ramos in 1998.

It was officially established on February 27, 2001, with a declaration adopted by delegates from 26 founding countries, and its first annual conference was held in April 2002.

(China.org.cn by staff reporter Yuan Fang, October 28, 2005)