The International Monetary Fund (IMF) on Tuesday lifted its global growth forecast for 2025 to 3 percent, 0.2 percentage points higher than its projection in April, according to an update to its World Economic Outlook.
Emerging markets and developing economies are now expected to grow by 4.1 percent in 2025, 0.4 percentage points higher than the April forecast, according to the latest update.
Meanwhile, the growth projection for advanced economies has been revised upward to 1.5 percent, compared to the earlier estimate of 1.4 percent.
In particular, growth forecasts for the United States, the Euro Area, Japan, Britain, Canada, China, India, Brazil, Mexico, Saudi Arabia and Nigeria were revised upward.
The broad-based upward revision for the year reflects "stronger-than-expected front-loading in anticipation of higher tariffs; lower average effective U.S. tariff rates than announced in April; an improvement in financial conditions, including due to a weaker U.S. dollar; and fiscal expansion in some major jurisdictions," the update said.
The global economy has continued to hold steady, but economic activity points to tariff distortions rather than underlying robustness, the IMF said.
"This resilience is welcome, but it is also tenuous. While the trade shock could turn out to be less severe than initially feared, it is still sizeable, and evidence is mounting that it is hurting the global economy," said IMF Chief Economist Pierre-Olivier Gourinchas.
Economic policy uncertainty is predicted to remain elevated this year and next, according to the report, whose projections are based on current trade policies.
Overall, risks to the latest outlook remain tilted to the downside, considering the precarious equilibrium of trade policy stances, possible escalation of geopolitical tensions, potentially more salient fiscal vulnerabilities and other factors, the update said.
Without comprehensive agreements, ongoing trade uncertainties could increasingly weigh on investment and economic activity, warned Gourinchas.
"Countries should reduce policy-induced uncertainty by promoting clear and transparent trade frameworks," the report said. "Pragmatic cooperation is paramount in instances in which some rules of the international trading system, in their current form, may not be functioning as intended."
IMF raises global growth forecast for 2025 to 3 pct
IMF raises global growth forecast for 2025 to 3 pct
A former television host from Taiwan, Zhai Xuan, has made a pivotal decision to leave mainstream broadcasting in order to create content that provides a better understanding of the Chinese mainland and cross-strait relations.
Zhai, a seasoned television host with over a decade of experience in Taiwan's media landscape, recently addressed an audience at an event in Beijing, where she revealed her complete transition into independent online media.
In her remarks, she articulated her aspiration to bridge what she perceives as a significant information gap between audiences on both sides of the Strait, highlighting her commitment to fostering a deeper understanding and connection through her new endeavors.
"I was really surprised by all the fake news. There were stories saying people on the mainland can't afford tea eggs or that they live in mud houses and in Taiwan, this was the main information many people received," said Zhai.
Zhai said she initially began producing online videos to challenge such perceptions while continuing her work as a television host.
In April 2025, she travelled to the mainland with her father to fulfill her late grandfather's wish to return to his hometown. The trip, which reunited family members separated since 1949, was recorded in a video series titled "Journey to Find Our Roots", drawing attention from viewers in both Taiwan and the mainland.
"Many people in Taiwan told me that after watching, they wanted to apply for a mainland travel permit immediately and go looking for their relatives. Some had long forgotten these things, but after seeing my story, they began thinking about their hometowns and family members they had never met and decided to search for their roots," Zhai shared her story at the event.
By mid-2025, Zhai said she began to feel increasing pressure amid rising political tensions and a tightening atmosphere around cross-Strait exchanges in Taiwan.
After more than 12 years in the industry, Zhai resigned from her position, believing it was the right thing to do.
"At that moment, I felt this was a major issue，not just for me, but for Chinese people on both sides of the Strait. If I backed down then, I wouldn’t be standing on the right side," said Zhai.
Since leaving television, Zhai has broadened her online programming to encompass a range of daily-life topics, including practical guidance on applying for a mainland travel permit and using commonly employed mobile applications, in addition to content that delves into historical memory and cultural connections across the Strait.
As the debate over cross-Strait relations continues in Taiwan, Zhai said she remains committed to her current path.
Former Taiwan TV host bridges cross-Strait divide via online media
