Asia-Pacific Trade and Investment Report 2018: Recent Trends and Developments

The Asia-Pacific Trade and Investment Report (APTIR) is a recurrent publication prepared by the Trade, Investment and Innovation Division of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific. It provides information and independent analyses of regional trends and policy developments in trade, goods and commercial services, as well as foreign direct investment. It also provides insights into the impacts of these recent and emerging developments on countries’ abilities to meet the challenges of achieving sustainable development.

APTIR 2018 shows that the Asia-Pacific region further increased its share of global merchandise trade, thanks to double-digit growth in trade in 2017. The region also remained the most important destination and source of foreign direct investment. Countries in Asia and the Pacific accelerated their economic integration intra- and inter-regionally, but protectionism is on the rise and trade tensions between the United States and China are expected to lead to a significant trade slowdown in 2019. The report provides estimates of the impact from the growing trade tensions and discusses potential winners and losers from shifting global value chains.

The report is aimed at policymakers, practitioners, experts, academia, business, international agencies and non-governmental organizations working or interested in trade and investment issues in the Asia-Pacific region.

In addition to the main report, summary briefs are provided below for selected regional economies.