The 2013 Boao Forum for Asia (BFA) will focus on "restructuring" in a more sustainable and innovative way, BFA Secretary General Zhou Wenzhong said on Friday.

Under the theme of "Asia Seeking Development for All: Restructuring, Responsibility and Cooperation," this year's forum concentrates on topics relating to "restructuring" as economists from home and abroad have been invited to discuss China's reform in the past three decades, as well as in the next 10 to 15 years.

"The forum provides a platform for high-level leaders from government, business and academic circles to discuss pressing global and regional issues in Asia," Zhou said.

He said the forum is intended to promote the Asian tradition of seeking win-win results, as well as help regional economies look for common ground, transcend differences and pursue common development.

More than 10 state and government leaders from Asia and other regions have been invited to the three-day forum, which will be held from April 6 to 8 in Boao, a coastal town in south China's Hainan Province, and will be attended by 1,477 representatives from 43 countries and regions.

A report published by the BFA research body said both large economies and export-driven smaller ones in Asia face a gloomy growth prospect in 2013.

It estimated that Asia's economic growth rate will reach six percent this year.

Although Asia still makes great contribution to the global economy in international economic downturn, "the growth has not been evenly distributed to different social classes, the development gap among countries is widening, and environmental, population and infrastructure problems become increasingly outstanding," Zhou said.

"Any economy cannot be immune from the global crisis and stand aloof," said Wang Yiwu, director of Hainan University's Institute of Modern Chinese Economic Theory, adding that common development is a shared responsibility of decision-makers, business owners and individuals.

The Asian economic integration has accelerated as Asian economies are highly interdependent in trade and investment.

"Asian economies have hastened steps in economic integration as waves of economic globalization and regionalization are on the rise," Zhou said.

At the 2013 BFA, more than 50 panel discussions will be held to offer suggestions on the common development in Asia, organizers said.

Highlights of this year's forum includes a newly set up Africa panel and Latin America panel.

President of the Republic of Zambia, Michael Chilufya Sata, Mexican president Enrique Pena Nieto and Peru's president Ollanta Humala will share experiences on transformation and innovation, and also reflect on development paths of their own.

"The setup of those panels is an innovation in this year's forum as it reflects the trend of globalization and the common ground on which developing countries should work together to seek development," said Zhang Xiaokang, a high-profile official with Asia Europe Meeting, an inter-regional forum.

The Boao forum will also cover topics concerning people's daily life such as property, Internet, health and urbanization, to name a few.

Chinese President Xi Jinping will deliver a keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the forum.

A non-governmental and non-profit international organization founded in 2001, the BFA works to promote regional economic integration and bring Asian countries closer to their development goals.

(Xinhua News Agency April 5, 2013)