As host of the annual Boao Forum for Asia, China expects to have in-depth exchanges with all participants to make more contributions to the common development of all countries, Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said on Wednesday.

This year's annual conference, "The World in COVID-19 and Beyond: Working Together for Global Development and Shared Future" will be held both online and offline from Wednesday to Friday. The opening ceremony takes place on Thursday.

President Xi Jinping will attend the opening ceremony via video link and deliver a keynote speech. Vice-premier Han Zheng will attend the opening ceremony and related activities in Boao, Hainan province.

The conference is being held at a time when the world is undergoing changes unseen in a century, as the COVID-19 pandemic is ravaging, geopolitical turbulence persists and all countries are facing twists and turns in terms of economic recovery and sustainable development, Wang said at a regular news briefing in Beijing.

The title of the conference reflects the common aspiration of the world to overcome the pandemic, promote economic development, boost solidarity and cooperation and improve global governance, he said.