IMF Highlights Chinas Economic Impact on Asia and the World

Beijing, October 15 (Daily Kiran) : The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is currently hosting its annual autumn conference in Bangkok, Thailand, from October 12 to 18, 2026. During this event, Krishna Srinivasan, the director of the IMF’s Asia-Pacific department, spoke with China Media Group (CMG) about the factors influencing the revised economic growth forecast for the region.

Srinivasan emphasized that China has achieved remarkable progress in economic development, significantly impacting both the Asia-Pacific region and the global economy.

When asked about the IMF’s recent adjustment of the Asia-Pacific growth forecast from 4.4% to 4.8%, Srinivasan identified three main factors driving this increase. First, the effects of the energy crisis had initially harmed various economies. However, they have since adapted to these challenges over time.

Second, the rapid advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) have affected economies at different levels across countries. The IMF’s revised growth projections reflect the impact of AI’s swift expansion.

The third factor is trade. Initially, there were concerns that tariffs and other issues would severely disrupt global trade. Contrary to those fears, trade has demonstrated considerable resilience. Given these three factors, the IMF has raised its growth forecast for the Asia-Pacific region to 4.8%.

Srinivasan further noted that China is the largest economy in the Asia-Pacific region, accounting for more than half of its total GDP. Additionally, China contributes approximately one-third of global economic growth. Consequently, China’s economic condition affects not only the Asia-Pacific region but also the entire world.

He pointed out that previous IMF studies indicate that a 1% increase in China’s economic growth can lead to a 0.3% impact on the growth rates of other economies in the region. Therefore, discussions on the economy and development of Asia cannot be complete without considering China.