Asian Economic Integration Reports

This publication examines the initial impact on trade, investment, finance, and people’s mobility as the coronavirus disease pandemic struck Asia and the Pacific.

This report reviews economic cooperation and integration in Asia and the Pacific and looks at how technology could boost productivity in aging economies.

This report documents Asia’s progress in regional cooperation and integration.

Asia and the Pacific is leading a recovery in world trade amid the continued uncertainty surrounding the global trade policy environment.

With the continued anemic global economic recovery, trade growth in Asia and the Pacific decelerated in 2015, falling further behind growth in gross domestic product.

Economic zones have played a key role in economic development in many Asian economies and can be catalysts for economic development, provided the right business environment and policies are put in place.

Slowing demand from advanced economies accentuates the need for Asia to rebalance its sources of growth more toward domestic and regional demand. Cross-border trade flows and investment bolstered Asia’s economic integration.

Developing Asia will have a marginal growth over the next 2 years. It also highlights that Asia over the past 20 years has borne almost half the estimated global economic cost of natural disasters, around $53 billion annually.

Developing Asia’s growth will likely slow slightly this year before picking up next year. While there is mixed progress in regional cooperation in Asia, most subregions show growing intra-Asian links in trade, finance, and tourism.

Regional integration progressed as the 2008/09 global financial and eurozone debt crises brought greater cooperation to Asia. Yet, deepening collaboration and coordination will likely be more challenging.