The weakening global economic environment will slow down growth in Asia and the Pacific, too, this year, but China, India and Japan are expected to keep up the momentum in the region, says the Economic and Social Survey of Asia-Pacific 2007.

The three economies contribute more than 60 percent of the region's GDP and close to 45 percent of its imports, creating considerable opportunities for the whole region, says the survey, to be released today by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP).

Developing economies in the region grew at 7.9 percent in 2006, up from 7.6 percent in 2005. But their economic growth is projected to slow down to 7.4 percent this year.

The decline is mainly because of the unfavorable external environment, including the slowing down of the US economy and falling demand for electronics across the world, says UNESCAP Executive Secretary Kim Hak-Su in a recorded video on the commission's website.

The survey shows investment continues to grow in China, while investment and consumption posted healthy gains in the two special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macao.

The survey, however, warns against several downside risks in the region, such as a possible oil price hike, abrupt cooling of the US housing market, vulnerability of the currency, global imbalances and reversal of the Japanese economy after its recovery.

To ensure better long-term growth in the region, the survey suggests Asian economies monitor the vulnerability of the currency and boost domestic demand through private investment.

Source: China Daily