Core Insights - The report predicts that Asia's weighted real GDP growth rate will reach 4.5% by 2025, despite overall trade and investment pressures [1][3] - Asia is expected to remain a major engine of global economic growth, with its GDP share of the world projected to increase from 48.1% in 2024 to 48.6% in 2025 [3] - Digital trade and service trade are highlighted as significant growth areas for Asia, with rapid advancements in digital delivery services and a notable recovery in travel services [3][4] Economic Growth and Trade - The Asia-Pacific region's retail e-commerce growth is projected to reach 8.4% in 2024, with China's cross-border e-commerce import and export total at approximately 369 billion USD, reflecting a year-on-year growth of 10.8% [3] - Southeast Asia's e-commerce sector is expected to achieve a gross merchandise value (GMV) of 263 billion USD, marking a 15% year-on-year increase [3] - The service export total for 25 Asia-Pacific economies reached 1,807.08 billion USD in 2023, with intra-regional exports growing by 41.78 billion USD, significantly outpacing the -2.28% decline in exports to regions outside [4] Regional Integration and Economic Partnerships - The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) has begun to show trade creation effects, with steady growth in foreign direct investment and accelerated integration of industrial and value chains among member economies [5] - The transition of China's service trade from deficit to surplus in 2023 underscores the contribution of service trade to regional economic cooperation [5] - There is a call for collaborative efforts to promote the high-level implementation and upgrading of RCEP, aiming to enhance governance systems and advance the Asia-Pacific free trade process [5]