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Sukanto Tanoto, Chairman of RGE, recently attended the Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference and participated in a roundtable discussion with Chinese business leaders and think tanks. In his keynote speech, he highlighted the importance of China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) as a driver for global economic development, which can also help countries cope with geopolitical challenges and uncertainties.
Initially launched by China in 2013, the BRI aims to connect countries along the ancient Silk Road, promoting economic growth and cultural exchange.
Held in Boao, Hainan province, China, the roundtable was chaired by Wang Yizhou, vice president of the China Society of International Relations and attended by Chen Xu, Director of the Overseas Chinese Affairs Office of the State Council of China.
Director Chen Xu also spoke at the event, encouraging overseas Chinese businessmen to contribute more to the country’s development and the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. He emphasised the importance of accurately identifying new trends and taking the initiative to take advantage of changing situations.
Mr. Tanoto spoke on RGE’s investment of more than 10 billion yuan in China over the past 10 years, taking advantage of opportunities arising from the BRI. RGE has developed its operations in China in high-end paper and fibre manufacturing, clean energy and other industries, in line with Government initiatives such as the developments in the Yangtze River Delta and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. RGE is also committed to ongoing innovation in environmental protection technology.
Sukanto Tanoto, Chairman of RGE, speaking at the Boao Forum for Asia, CEO Roundtable
In addition to RGE Group’s investments, Mr. Tanoto also highlighted the company’s talent training projects focused around the BRI. These projects contribute to the development of the BRI and benefit people from many countries, he said.
On a wider level, the Boao Asia Forum provided an opportunity for leaders from the government, business and academic sectors in Asia and other continents to share their vision on the most pressing issues in the region and the world at large. The forum is committed to promoting regional economic integration and bringing Asian countries closer to their development goals.
Boao Forum for Asia Youth Leader Roundtable
As part of the Boao Forum for Asia, the Youth Leader Roundtable gathered young talents and leaders from different fields to discuss how young people should respond to the challenges of the times. Belinda Tanoto, a Member of the Board of Trustees at Tanoto Foundation and Managing Director of RGE, was among the speakers at the roundtable.
Belinda Tanoto, a Member of the Board of Trustees at Tanoto Foundation and Managing Director of RGE, speaking at the Boao Forum for Asia, Youth Leader Roundtable
When discussing some of the urgent challenges facing mankind, Belinda said that education was an area in urgent need of attention. Although countries around the world understand the importance of education, they have different understandings of the role of education at different stages of life, she said. In general, basic education and higher education tend to receive more attention, while preschool education (3-6 years old) and early childhood development (0-3 years old) receive less attention, she added.
To address this gap, Tanoto Foundation’s early childhood education and development work covers all stages of a person’s life cycle (0-18 years old and beyond), with a special emphasis on the early part of a child’s life which the Foundation believes can have a significant impact on their future success, said Belinda.
She said she hoped that other like-minded people and organisations could join the Foundation in their work on early childhood education, and to harness the transformative power of education to realise people’s potential and improve lives. Belinda also attended the CEO Roundtable at the main conference and emphasised RGE’s commitment to grow and develop with China.
