The 2018 Boao Forum, held April 8-11, focused the theme of An Open and Innovative Asia for a World of Greater Posterity and featured an opening address by President Xi Jinping on China’s commitment to globalization. One Forum sub-theme was development of the “Health Industry” on the Belt and Road, which included a CEO roundtable panel discussion. CMB President Lincoln Chen, attending the Boao Forum at the invitation of Hainan Governor Shen Xiaoming, participated in the panel discussion.

CMB's 2017 Equity Fellows celebrated the conclusion of the first phase of their fellowship experience at the 2nd Annual Forum, held February 3-5 in Hua Hin, Thailand. The Fellows spent time finalizing plans for their second-year projects to advance health equity in the region and joined representatives of the 2016 cohort and incoming 2018 cohort for several days of interaction and bonding.

Since becoming a direct operating foundation, CMB has established residential offices in Beijing and Bangkok. New staff and new programs including Equity Fellows in Southeast Asia have been launched. A January-February Asian trip for Trustees Harvey Fineberg, Jane Henney, Jeff Koplan, and Jeff Williams enabled them to gain a better understanding of the nature of CMB’s China and Southeast Asia programming.

During the Project Accelerator workshop, held October 31-November 5 in Luang Prabang, Laos, the 2017 Fellows finalized proposals for the group projects they will carry out after their first fellowship year concludes in February 2018, on topics such as a pilot for community-led impact monitoring, research-based advocacy on the needs of Myanmar migrant workers, the role of community health workers, among other themes.