Asia Regional Integration Center

ADB Chief Economist Albert Park emphasized the importance of RCI and ADB's role in supporting its progress during the launch of the AEIR 2025 at the HKUST Business School. The launch included a panel discussion on maximizing RCI to navigate the evolving geopolitical landscape and foster a sustainable future for Asia and the Pacific. On its 10th anniversary, AEIR 2025 analyzes RCI in Asia over the past 2 decades, highlighting policy issues on trade, investment, finance, and the movement of people. Watch the promo video and the event on LinkedIn and X.  

The Asian Economic Integration Report 2025 highlights the pivotal role of regional economic integration in Asia and the Pacific’s remarkable growth over the past two decades, with analyses on key issues in trade, FDI, financial integration, and movement of people. Watch the video and read the highlights. Download the report here.

The Asian Economic Integration Report 2025 will be launched at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) Business School on 24 March 2025, in cooperation with HKUST, Greater Eurasia Research Center (GEAR), and Institute for Emerging Market Studies (IEMS). Coverage of this event will be available via ADB’s LinkedIn and Twitter pages.

This paper examines the effect of foreign exchange (FX) trading volume on volatility using high-frequency data. FX trading volume is a key factor in volatility. Estimation results from econometric models reveal a significant impact of third-party trade volumes on the volatilities of original currency pairs. Read more here. 

This Call for Papers, jointly proposed by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), seeks to address challenges in advancing green or climate-smart trade facilitation by fostering theoretical, empirical, and practical discussions. Read more.

This report looks at the resilience of tourism flows between the Republic of Korea and ASEAN member states, breakdown key drivers and challenges, and outlines ways to strengthen regional tourism cooperation. Read more here.

This brief examines the potential impact of higher US tariffs on Asian economies and explores the resulting policy implications. Read more here.

This paper explores how policy choices of regional cooperation contribute to labor productivity and firms’ innovation. Results highlight the key roles of regional value chains, and connectivity in infrastructure and technology. Read more here.