The annual meeting of Asian Development Bank (ADB) will focus largely on the global economic crisis, which has seriously affected developing countries across Asia and the Pacific region, ADB's President Haruhiko Kuroda said on Saturday.

The four-day meeting kicked off on Saturday.

"During this week's activities, ADB will also turn our attention to Asia's long-term development challenges, which were daunting before the crisis and are even more challenging now," Kuroda said.

ADB will be unveiling a new book on Monday which examines regional trade and investment logistics, regional infrastructure networks, the policies and institutions needed to develop effective regional infrastructure projects, and how to finance such projects.

Another key aspect of the meeting is the talks between finance ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and China, Japan and South Korea (ASEAN+3) due on Sunday. They are expected to reach an agreement on the finalization of the Chiang Mai initiative.

More than 3,500 government leaders, businesspeople, analysts and representatives from academia, civil society organizations, and media from around the world are attending the annual meeting.

(Xinhua News Agency May 2, 2009)