The Boao Forum for Asia will hold its annual conference from March 25 to 28 in Hainan province, said Zhang Jun, secretary general of the BFA, at a news conference in Beijing on Wednesday.

The theme of the Boao Forum for Asia's annual conference this year is "Asia in the Changing World: Towards a Shared Future," which is aimed at upholding multilateralism, fostering openness and development and jointly tackling global challenges, Zhang said.

Asia needs to work with the international community in strengthening solidarity and cooperation while addressing challenges together. The BFA will shoulder greater responsibility, as a high-end dialogue platform dedicated to promoting development and cooperation, Zhang added.

Zhang said there are four distinctive features of the annual conference, including the focus on development, emphasis on communication, innovation in meeting formats and the emphasis on effectiveness.

Hainan will make efforts to enhance the convenience, greenness and richness of the conference, said Bateer, vice-governor of the province, where the annual conference will be held.

Tan Guoling contributed to this story.