Research Themes

Digital Trade

To examine the opportunities and challenges of international trade digitalization for both domestic and cross-border trade and policy changes to improve connectivity, digital economy, and the development of SMEs in APEC member economies.

Sustainable Development

To examine how companies' sustainability considerations in production and supply-chain management will affect their behavior and performance, which in turn shape macroeconomic outcomes.

Hong Kong as International Hub

To highlight the importance of Hong Kong’s strength in the professional services sector and its unique institutions that facilitate regional economic integration.

Geoeconomic Dynamics Update

May 6, 2026

Gold as strategic reserve: structural trends and geopolitical drivers

Heiwai Tang, David Daigneault, Guanzheng Sun

Gold price has surged since Liberation Day, briefly touching $5,300 per ounce before the Iran War triggered a sharp reversal. Beneath the price volatility lies a deeper structural shift: central banks — led by emerging markets — have been accumulating gold at historically elevated rates for over a decade and even Western allies are quietly reconsidering where they store their gold.

March 27, 2026

The Strait of Hormuz crisis: Impact on supply chain and the financial market

Heiwai Tang, Guanzheng Sun

The Strait of Hormuz crisis is disrupting global energy, fertilizer, helium, and sulfur supply, with ripple effects on power, production, and transport. Asia is most exposed in crude oil while Europe and Africa are more vulnerable in jet fuel and diesel. Effects will last until July.

February 13, 2026

Realignment of trade relationship with the US since the Liberation Day in 2025

Heiwai Tang, Guanzheng Sun

Major US exporters are reshaping their trade portfolio to Europe and Asia in response to US policy shifts since 2020, with the Chinese Mainland and Canada reducing dependence on the US market while Taiwan, China and ASEAN economies move in to capture shifting demand

The RCEP Trade Tracker

Recognizing the significance and the potential of Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) holds, the Asia Global Institute launches the RCEP Trade Tracker to provide interactive data visualizations enabling users to access data and information on RCEP's trade dynamics.

The APEC Study Center

The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Study Center conducts multidisciplinary research on economic and business trends in the Asia-Pacific, in particular, topics related to the APEC forum. The center is hosted by the Asia Global Institute as a five-year project, from April 1, 2022 to March 31, 2027.