SYDNEY, June 7 (Xinhua): Sydney will host a supporting event for one of the world's leading economic forums, the Boao Forum for Asia (BFA), in 2015, the deputy premier and minister for trade and investment of New South Wales (NSW), Andrew Stoner, announced Saturday in Beijing, according to the office of the deputy premier in Sydney.
Secretary General of Boao Forum for Asia Secretariat Zhou Wenzhong met with Stoner in Beijing to sign a memorandum of understanding with the NSW deputy premier and state leader of the National Party, the office said.
"The BFA, permanently located in Boao, Hainan in China, is the leading forum in Asia committed to promoting economic integration in the region," Stoner said during the meeting.
NSW will host a financial cooperation event in June 2015 as part of the expanding charter of the BFA to host conferences, seminars and workshops on issues of significance to the economic and social development of Asia and the world.
According to the office, the Boao extended event will attract some of the highest level leaders from government, business and academia throughout Asia Pacific to Sydney and throw further light on the state's role as a global financial hub for the region.
Zhou Wenzhong said he was delighted to bring the forum back to Australia after three years.
"BFA is the premier forum for Asia and emerging markets. This is the second time the BFA will host a conference in Australia, following a 2011 conference on energy, resources and sustainable development in Perth," Zhou said.
"Energy, resources and financial cooperation are the two most important conference brands for BFA, in addition to its flagship annual conference each spring in Boao."
NSW was the first state to initiate "Sister State" links with China, partnering with Guangdong Province in 1979.
According to Jim Harrowell, president of the Australia China Business Council (ACBC) in NSW, the commercial side of this relationship has flourished ever since.
