BEIJING, April 30 (Xinhua) -- The Boao Forum for Asia (BFA) said Thursday that it would not hold its annual conference this year due to the impact of COVID-19.

"The raging COVID-19 pandemic across the world is threatening human health and global economy. In response to international efforts to contain the disease and prioritizing the health and safety of all participants, the Forum's Board of Directors made the difficult decision of not holding this year's annual conference," it said in a statement.

The BFA annual conference was originally scheduled from March 24 to 27 in Boao, a coastal town in China's southern island province of Hainan, with a theme of "A world in change: Bond together for a shared future."

The BFA said that it would continue preparation for three major thematic conferences scheduled in latter half of year 2020 and organize a series of online activities to discuss the impact of the pandemic and explore solutions for recovery.

Founded in 2001, the BFA is a non-governmental and non-profit international organization committed to promoting regional economic integration and bringing Asian countries closer to their development goals.  ■