OREANDA-NEWS. Due to the outbreak of coronavirus infection, the Chinese authorities decided to postpone the Asian Economic Forum (AEF) in Boao, which was scheduled for March 24-27 on the southern island of Hainan. This was reported on Friday by a Chinese newspaper, citing its own sources.

The Boao Forum is called East Davos - it's a large platform for signing important agreements, coordinating positions between representatives of business and government circles of many countries. The AEF has been held since 2001, the Chinese government pays great attention to it, since such a mechanism helps to intensify Beijing’s international contacts, strengthen the role of China in the global arena, and affirm the principles of the concept of "Humanity with a Single Fate", propagated by the Chinese authorities.

In recent years, this regular comprehensive event has become an important bridge connecting China with the outside world. The AEF Organizing Committee has not yet commented on the cancellation of the event and does not name the possible dates for its holding.