THE ASIAN CENTURY IN MOTION · WEBINAR 1 OF 10
The Asian Century by the Numbers
Has the centre of the world economy already moved, and by which measure?
Thursday 29 October 2026 · Live for GDF members, then on demand
- London
- 13:00
- Beijing
- 21:00
- New York
- 09:00
- Cairo
- 15:00
See the numbersHide the numbers
Two measures, two answers
Which economy is the world's largest? It depends on how you count. Both answers come from the same IMF dataset.
At purchasing power parity · what economies produce at local prices
China is larger, and has been since 2014.
At market exchange rates · what that output is worth in dollars
The United States remains well ahead. GDP in 2026, trillions of US dollars, one scale. Source: IMF World Economic Outlook, April 2026.
Where one long-range projection points · share of world GDP at PPP
- E7: 39.5% → ~50%
- G7: 28.4% → ~20%
- Rest of the world
E7: China, India, Indonesia, Brazil, Russia, Mexico, Turkey. G7: US, Japan, Germany, UK, France, Italy, Canada. Sources: PwC Global Economy Watch (2025); PwC, The World in 2050 (2017). Other forecasts see slower convergence; speakers will compare them.
Members Exclusive Live Webinars
Members Exclusive Live Webinars
About this webinar
Measured by purchasing power, Asia already produces close to half of world output and has exceeded the combined economies of the United States and Europe for years. Measured in market dollars, its share is just over a third. Both numbers are true, and the gap between them shapes how governments, investors and diplomats read the decade ahead.
This opening webinar separates what the evidence supports from what the headlines claim. Speakers will compare the leading long-range projections, explain why forecasts of Asia "overtaking" the West vary so widely, and look beyond GDP to population, productivity and trade. Asia is not a single bloc: it brings together ageing high-income economies and young, fast-growing ones, energy exporters and importers, rivals and partners.
You will leave with a clear, sourced picture of where the global economy stands today, and a framework for judging the claims you will meet in the rest of the series.
Three numbers to start with
~60%
of global growth comes from Asia and the Pacific, in 2025 and 2026. IMF Regional Economic Outlook, Asia and Pacific
8.5%
of world GDP at PPP is India's, third behind China (19.9%) and the US (14.5%). IMF World Economic Outlook, April 2026
2014
Is the year China overtook the United States at purchasing power parity. IMF
Speakers
Dr Maha Hosain Aziz, Professor in Global Risk and Future Trends, NYU, WEF adviser and author of the award-winning Future World Order
Dr Jayant Menon, Visiting Senior Fellow, ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute, and former Lead Economist at the Asian Development Bank
What we'll explore
Purchasing power versus market exchange rates: two measures, two stories
How to read IMF, PwC and Citi projections, and which headline claims hold up
China's next phase, and the rise of India and Indonesia alongside the G7
Population, productivity and trade as measures of economic weight
Why "Asia" is many economies with very different trajectories
Related GDF Academy courses
What we'll explore
• Purchasing power versus market exchange rates: two measures, two stories
• How to read IMF, PwC and Citi projections, and which headline claims hold up
• Population, productivity and trade as measures of economic weight
• Why "Asia" is many economies with very different trajectories
One claim we will test
"Asia has already overtaken the West."
True on one measure, not yet on another. The session sets out where the evidence stands and what it means for policy and investment.
Join live, or watch on demand
This webinar is part of The Asian Century in Motion and is open to Global Diplomatic Forum members. Membership includes:
Live access to all ten webinars and the Global Youth Dialogue, with Q&A
Recordings and data briefs on demand
A certificate for members who follow seven or more webinars
Member offers on GDF Academy courses
Questions about the series or membership? Email enquiries@gdforum.org