Asian economic powers warn of risks from war

East Asian economic leaders warned on Thursday of risks to the region’s outlook and pledged to remain committed to market stability and sound fiscal policy.

Economic risks included unexpectedly early rises in interest rates “in some advanced nations”, runaway inflation and supply chain disruption on top of the war in Ukraine, finance ministers and central bank governors said in a joint statement.

The statement followed annual meetings, held online, of the officials from China, Japan, South Korea and the 10 members of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN).

The Japanese, Chinese and South Korean officials affirmed their commitment to supporting financial market stability and to long-term fiscal sustainability.

“We must remain on guard against heightening risks to which the regional economic recovery is being exposed ... on top of the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict and earlier-than-expected monetary policy normalisation in some advanced nations,” it said.

“These factors could become downside risks to the regional economic outlook, causing volatility to financial markets and capital flows.”

The officials’ joint statement comes amid concerns that U.S interest rate rises and related reduction in central bank assets have driven up the dollar. This has raised the prospect of capital flight from some emerging markets and a rising burden of dollar-denominated debt in the developing world.