HONG KONG, Oct. 18 (Xinhua) -- The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has raised Hong Kong's economic growth forecast for this year to 3.8 percent, with the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government holding a more optimistic outlook than the projection, the local financial chief said on Sunday.
Paul Chan, financial secretary of the HKSAR government, wrote in his blog that during his visit to Bangkok, Thailand, last week for the annual meetings of the IMF and the World Bank Group, discussions highlighted how the global economic landscape is being reshaped by the impact of high energy prices driven by conflicts, as well as the surging AI boom.
The IMF's latest forecast projected global economic growth to slow from 3.5 percent last year to 3.1 percent this year, with a widening gap of uneven development -- growth projections for economies affected by conflicts were sharply lowered, while those deeply anchored in the AI supply chain were upgraded, and growth across Asia as a whole continued to outpace the global average, with Hong Kong's growth forecast likewise revised upward to 3.8 percent.
Chan pointed out that whether supporting economic transformation through technology or bolstering economic momentum to sustain employment, the key lies in efficient financial support, and Hong Kong is playing an active role in driving efficient capital flows. ■
