Asia Pacific is playing an increasingly central role in driving global trade resilience, even as international flows face mounting challenges due to policy shocks. DHL and New York University’s Stern School of Business have released a special update to the DHL Global Connectedness Tracker, offering the first systematic assessment of how international trade and business investment are reacting to shifting U.S. trade policy under President Trump’s second term.
“Asia Pacific’s performance stands out due to its adaptability and strategic positioning, and the latest data shows how collaboration in the region is deepening even amid global uncertainty,” said Ken Lee, CEO for Asia Pacific, DHL Express. “From ASEAN’s rising role in absorbing trade flows to countries in the Asia Pacific region engaging more intensively with their neighbours, businesses in our region are proving agile and forward-looking. DHL is well-positioned to support our customers in navigating any shifts in trade patterns, and we will continue to build capabilities where our customers want to be.”
“Despite the changes in the global trade sector, Hong Kong continues to demonstrate strong resilience and remain as a crucial global logistics hub,” said Andy Chiang, Senior Vice President and Managing Director of DHL Express Hong Kong and Macau. “Ranked fourth globally in trade value growth, the city continues to strengthen its role as a key gateway connecting Chinese Mainland, ASEAN, and global markets. With our expanded Central Asia Hub in Hong Kong and world-class logistics network in the city and around the world, DHL is committed to empowering local enterprises, big and small, to capture growth opportunities worldwide through our reliable and efficient logistics solutions.”
Global trade defies tariff turbulence while Asia leads in trade lane growth
The DHL Global Connectedness Tracker reveals that, in the first half of 2025, international trade grew at a faster rate than in any half-year since 2010, excluding the pandemic rebound. U.S. imports surged early in 2025 as buyers rushed to frontload purchases ahead of tariff hikes. Even after the frontloading wave in the U.S. subsided, global trade volumes remained above prior-year levels.
Zooming into the world’s 100 largest trade lanes, six of the 10 fastest-growing were exports originating from an Asian economy, underscoring the region’s pivotal role in driving global trade momentum. Additionally, among the 50 largest trading markets, Hong Kong SAR ranks fourth for the fastest trade value growth, while Thailand, Malaysia and Vietnam also place within the top 10 markets, indicating the Asia Pacific region’s growing influence and resilience in supply chain networks.
Shorter trade distances indicate robust momentum for intra-Asia trade
Intra-Asia trade showed signs of continued integration and expanding connections, with East Asia & Pacific’s intra-regional trade share rising from 55% to 56%. Among the 50 largest trading markets, the trade distances declined the most in markets starting with Thailand (-79 km), Chinese Mainland (-76 km), Singapore (-71 km), and Hong Kong SAR (-61km) in the first half of 2025 compared to 2024. This reflects Asian economies’ pivoting of trade flows toward regional partners to maintain growth. It also signals the region’s efforts to enhance its infrastructure and connectivity, making it more attractive to participate in cross-border trade.
ASEAN gains prominence as key destination for Chinese exports
Despite a 15% drop in exports to the U.S. in the first eight months of 2025, China fully offset this decline with a 15% increase in exports to ASEAN region. In fact, ASEAN emerged as a key growth destination for Chinese exports, highlighting the region’s rising importance in China’s trade portfolio. Notably, Vietnam, Thailand, and India saw the largest increases in their share of China’s exports, while the U.S., Russia, Korea, Brazil, and Mexico experienced declines.
“Trade and international business investment trends so far in 2025 do not support the view that globalisation has gone into reverse,” said Prof. Steven A. Altman, Director of the DHL Initiative on Globalization at NYU Stern’s Center for the Future of Management. “While it would be a mistake to disregard current policy threats to globalisation, companies are not generally pulling back from international markets, trade is crossing the longest average distance on record, and geopolitical conflicts have reshaped only a small fraction of the world’s international activity. The latest data show companies managing the risks and opportunities of a connected world rather than retreating to within countries or regions.”
