The roundtable will bring together 250 global leaders from business, government, academia, civil society and the media to share their strategic insights on business, political and economic developments in the region. Prime Minister Lee Hsien-Loong of Singapore will host the opening reception for all participants at Istana, the official residence of the president.

The theme of the roundtable is "Tilting the Global Balance: The Strategic Implications of Asia's Growth", according to a press statement of World Economic Forum issued from Geneva, Switzerland.

The theme reflects the pressing need for leaders to better understand the business, political and social implications of the profound changes that loom over the horizon as Asia's increasing influence begins to alter the pace and profile of globalisation.

The calibre of participants and a focused programme ensure ample opportunities to develop tangible, business-relevant outcomes, with Asia's leading decision-makers and experts.

The roundtable will also look at how the scale of Asia's development will impact on the scarcity of natural resources, the development of human capital and new technologies, the future pace and profile of regional integration and the current balance of power in world affairs, as well as the policy changes needed to ensure the region s continued growth.

The co-chairs for the Asia roundtable thus far are John Chen, chairman, chief executive officer and president, Sybase, USA; Koh Boon-Hwee, chairman, Singapore Airlines; and Jiang Jianqing, chairman and president, Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, the statement said.

Moreover, a high-level delegation of government and business leaders from the Middle East will participate in the roundtable, given the growing trade and investment ties between the two regions.

In addition to the roundtable, three open forum plenary sessions will welcome participants from Singapore-based business, media and academic institutions.