Edmund Ho Hau Wah, vice chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, Chief Executive of Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) Chui Sai On, Head of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in Macao SAR Zheng Xiaosong and Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Macao SAR Ye Dabo attend the 2017 Boao Forum for Asia (BFA) Development Summit in Macao, south China, Nov. 6, 2017. The summit was held here on Monday with a theme of "Smart city construction and the development of Asian region." (Xinhua/Cheong Kam Ka)

MACAO, Nov. 6 (Xinhua) -- The 2017 Boao Forum for Asia (BFA) Development Summit (Macao) is held here on Monday with a theme of "Smart city construction and the development of Asian region."

Secretary-General of Boao Forum for Asia Zhou Wenzhong said at the opening ceremony that Macao special administrative region (SAR) is one of the most open trade and investment economies, and also an important platform for communication and cooperation between China and Portuguese-speaking countries.

Macao will play a big role in the international cooperation of the Belt and Road Initiative.

Macao SAR Secretary for Economy and Finance Leong Vai Tac said in his opening speech that all countries and regions have to choose the route of opening-up to realize sustainable development.

The rapid development of Asian countries and regions has shown that the economic globalization and regional integration are the engine for economic and social advance.

The Macao government will speed up the smart city construction to assist the development of Macao, he added.

The one-day summit sets up three sessions: "Smart City and the Development of Asia", "Young Talent and the Future of Asia" and "The Belt and Road Initiative and the Specialized Financial Services".

The summit attracts over 1,600 heads of government bodies, industry representatives, experts and scholars from Macao, the Chinese mainland, Britain, Australia and the United States.

This is the second development summit held by BFA in Macao. The first version was held in 2015.