Asia Regional Integration Center

As the COVID-19 pandemic increases food security risks in Asia and the Pacific, this challenge also calls for a bolder role for policy and regional cooperation, as featured in ADB Briefs No. 139.

In 2018, amid Asian equity markets’ subdued performance, moderating global growth, and global trade tensions, Asia’s intraregional portfolio debt investment grew moderately, while intraregional portfolio equity investment and cross-border bank claims both contracted.

The year 2018 saw a sharp increase in greenfield FDI and M&As in Asia, after declining in 2017.

Almost half of global outward FDI in 2018 came from Asia and the Pacific.

Asia and the Pacific remains an attractive destination of global FDI, as foreign investment to the region grew 6.3% in 2018.

Asia’s trade growth was sustained in 2018 despite external risks thanks to its robust intraregional trade. Deepening of regional value chains and the drive for free trade agreements continue to strengthen trade within the region.