Xi's COVID stance gives Asia little to look forward to in 2023

China's growing inward focus deprives region of needed growth engine

William Pesek

October 20, 2022 05:00 JST

Xi Jinping, center, and other Chinese Communist Party leaders attend the opening ceremony of the group's 20th National Congress on Oct. 16: The old China has appeared to be making a comeback. © Xinhua/AP

William Pesek is an award-winning Tokyo-based journalist and author of "Japanization: What the World Can Learn from Japan's Lost Decades."

Asian economies have found little joy in 2022 so far. Even less so investors who hoped to harness rapid growth in the region to riches. Might 2023 be worse?