BEIJING -- The 2018 edition of the Boao Forum for Asia (BFA), also known as Asia's Davos, has drawn widespread media attention ahead of President Xi Jinping's keynote speech at the opening ceremony of this year's conference.

The four-day event themed "An Open and Innovative Asia for a World of Greater Prosperity" is being held in southern Chinese island province Hainan on April 8-11.

"All eyes are on Mr Xi's address at the Boao Forum" after Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said last week that Xi will announce new measures to expand reform and opening-up "that launched China's economic boom," the Singapore-based paper The Straits Times said Monday.

"Mr Xi set out his defence of globalization at the World Economic Forum in Davos last year," Bloomberg news said Sunday.

In a commentary, Bloomberg said Xi will deliver his speech at the BFA dedicated to "reassuring the hundreds of foreign investors present that U.S. protectionism won't produce the same in the world's second-largest economy."

In a commentary titled "Xi to present market-opening moves at Boao Forum," Japanese financial newspaper Nikkei Asian Review said Saturday that "as this year marks the 40th anniversary of China's landmark economic reforms, which opened the country to the world, international attention is focused on how Xi plans to steer the reform effort from here."

"It was fitting, therefore, that Xi should use the occasion to assure the world that China remains open for business," the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post said Sunday.