Singapore – CNBC is the official supporting partner for this year’s Boao Forum for Asia (BFA) on ‘Asia: Managing Beyond Crisis’. The annual forum will be held in Boao, Hainan Province, China from April 17-19. As part of this agreement, CNBC will broadcast a TV debate themed ‘The Next Competitive Edge of Asia’. This will be the only debate to be broadcast during this year’s BFA. CNBC’s award winning anchor, Martin Soong, will be hosting the debate centering on Asia’s response to current challenges. The debate will air on CNBC on April 24. Now in its ninth year, BFA is an international non-governmental, non-profit organization which has become a high-end platform for dialogue on vital issues in Asia and the world at large. This year’s focus will be the impact of the economic crisis on Asia and how the region can weather the challenges. Amongst the prestigious attendees will be Premier Wen Jiabao who is the keynote speaker at this event.