BANGKOK, June 20 (Xinhua) -- To explore the future and broaden the horizons of Asian regional cooperation, the Boao Forum for Asia (BFA) will convene a conference in Bangkok, Thailand on July 11, 2017 with the theme of "Asian Regional Cooperation: New Challenges, New Approach", sources with the organizer have said.

The conference is held against the background that with continued political and economic volatility, 2017 is a challenging year for all countries, particularly so for Asian economies which are struggling with external trade protectionism and financial fluctuation as well as internal reforms, livelihood issues and economic transition.

The conference also comes amid the rise of anti-globalism, with certain countries have been going so far as to build protectionist "walls", a phenomenon that highlights the importance of Asian regional cooperation.

The BFA Bangkok conference comprises three sessions -- Asian Economic Integration: The Way Ahead, Connecting Asia: Infrastructure and Supply Chain, and ASEAN-China Free Trade Area: Trade, Investment and Financial Cooperation.

The conference will bring together approximately 300 leaders from various communities to brainstorm new approaches and challenges to Asian regional cooperation and identify new opportunities of cooperation in different sectors.