World Bank upbeat on Asian economies. (Asia News).

Vietnam Investment Review, April, 2003

SARS, the Iraq war and other external shocks will limit East Asia's economic growth to 5 per cent this year, but the adverse affects of the deadly virus should be relatively short, the World Bank said.

The many unknowns about Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) made it difficult to gauge its impact, the bank said in an updated outlook for the region, but an open flow of information and supportive economic policies will help the region ride out the crisis.

East Asian growth was likely to hit about 6 per cent next year, higher than the 5.8 per cent expansion in 2002, "as this year's temporary shocks play out and as the global recovery picks up tempo", it said in a 57-page report.

Although China is the epicentre of the SARS outbreak, its robust...