Webinar

China and AI remain key themes amid rising uncertainty

2 April 2026 – 10.00am HKT (Hong Kong)

online

We forecast Asia-Pacific industrial production to see a modest slowdown in 2026 but remain an outperformer at the global level. Amid subdued global trade activity, APAC industries will be supported by China’s deepening role in the regional supply chain as well as the region’s strength in AI hardware production.

Meanwhile, renewed risks are raising uncertainty. The replacement of US IEEPA tariffs with a global 15% tariff and the conflict in the Middle East will have different sectoral implications. We will be assessing and incorporating the latest tariff and geopolitical development in our upcoming March forecast round.

This webinar is being held on our new platform, ON24. If you do not receive your confirmation email, please check your junk and spam folders.

Speakers

Toby Whittington

Toby Whittington oversees the Industry Service coverage for the Asia-Pacific region. His principal focus is on sectoral trends across Asia in key industries such as automotives, chemicals and high-tech goods. Before taking on his current role, Toby oversaw Oxford Economics’ energy forecasts, covering the oil & gas and renewables sectors. Toby is currently based in Singapore having previously worked for Oxford Economics in the UK and US.

Lead Economist

Makoto Tsuchiya

Makoto Tsuchiya is an Economist at Oxford Economics. He oversees the forecast and analysis of the electronics sector, including semiconductors. He also works on a wide range of client projects, by way of producing bespoke forecasts as well as written reports. Makoto has a Bachelor’s degree from Temple University Japan where he majored in Economics with a minor in Business Studies. He also has sophisticated knowledge in the corporate accounting field.

Economist