# Regional Capital: The Engine Behind Asean’s Growth - Link: https://www.thailand-business-news.com/asean/302784-regional-capital-the-engine-behind-aseans-growth - Published: 2026-04-28T03:47:00+07:00 - Author: Jessica Lee **Malaysian and ASEAN+3 companies should strategically invest across the region to strengthen trade and FDI linkages. Despite global geopolitical risks, the region grew 4.3% in 2025, with ASEAN+3 now accounting for 28% of global final demand, emerging as the world’s largest market.** --- ## Key Points • ASEAN+3 now accounts for 28% of global final demand, surpassing the United States • Region has evolved beyond manufacturing into a major consumer market• Supply chains have shifted from China-centric to broader ASEAN+3 collaboration involving Japan and South Korea• ASEAN poised to lead in a emerging multipolar world order• Securities Commission chairman calls for deeper, agile capital markets aligned with regional sustainability and innovation standards to drive future growth ADVERTISEMENT ### Strategic Regional Investment and Economic Resilience **Domestic companies must adopt a more deliberate, strategic approach to cross-regional investment.** According to Allen Ng of AMRO, when local firms invest in foreign- owned groups, they generate foreign direct investment flows that **strengthen trade linkages and deepen regional integration**. Ng emphasized that Malaysia is actively developing policies to foster a more integrated capital market. Despite significant geopolitical risks, including conflicts in the Middle East, the Asean+3 region demonstrated resilience, expanding by **4.3% in 2025**, with growth forecasted at **4% for both 2026 and 2027**, even after absorbing two major economic shocks within 12 months. --- ### Structural Shifts Redefining Asean+3’s Global Role **Asean+3 has undergone transformative structural shifts** that have redefined its position in the global economy. Supply chains, once centered predominantly on China, have evolved into a **highly integrated network involving China, Japan, and South Korea**. More significantly, the Asean region has emerged as a **final consumption market**, not merely a manufacturing hub. The bloc now accounts for **28% of global final demand**, surpassing the United States, signaling a fundamental change in its economic identity. Central banks and policymakers face the critical challenge of managing both supply and demand shocks through carefully **targeted fiscal and monetary policies**. ### Related**Posts** ### 󠀁[Toxic Sai River Contamination Threatens Mae Sai’s Livelihoods](https://www.thailand-business-news.com/asean/myanmar/340203-toxic-sai-river-contamination-threatens-mae-sais-livelihoods)󠁿 ### 󠀁[Thailand Business News | Morning Briefing | Thailand · ASEAN · Asia-Pacific markets](https://www.thailand-business-news.com/asean/340181-thailand-business-news-morning-briefing-thailand-%c2%b7-asean-%c2%b7-asia-pacific-markets)󠁿 ### 󠀁[ASEAN Prepares Collective Oil Reserves Framework to Counter Regional Supply Shocks](https://www.thailand-business-news.com/asean/340054-asean-prepares-collective-oil-reserves-framework-to-counter-regional-supply-shocks)󠁿 ### 󠀁[Thailand Business News — Morning Briefing](https://www.thailand-business-news.com/news/339782-thailand-business-news-morning-briefing-9)󠁿 --- ### Malaysia’s Opportunity in a Multipolar World **Malaysia is well-positioned amid the global shift toward multipolar power dynamics.** Deputy Finance Minister Liew Chin Tong highlighted that as US influence declines, Asean nations must unite strategically, noting that **“no country is too small when operating within the Asean context.”** He suggested Kuala Lumpur could emerge as a major regional hub, drawing parallels to how **Petronas was born from the 1974 oil crisis**, turning adversity into opportunity. Securities Commission chairman Mohammad Faiz Azmi reinforced this vision, urging capital markets to be **deep, agile, and aligned across borders** through harmonized sustainability and cross- border standards, ultimately creating a **common capital market greater than the sum of its parts**.