Asian Development Bank (ADB) said that Indonesia is among seven Asian nations that will lead the region's rise to become a powerhouse that controls half of the world's economy and output, local media reported on Thursday.
In its latest report released Wednesday, the ADB cited China, Japan, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, South Korea and Thailand as the potential drivers of Asia's rise over the next 40 years, when 3 billion Asians could enjoy higher living standards compared to those of Europe, the United States and other developed nations.
In 2010, the seven economies had a combined total population of 3.1 billion, or 78 percent of Asia, and a gross domestic product ( GDP) of 14.2 trillion U.S. dollars.
Indonesia's economy stood at Rp 6,422.9 trillion (about 751.48 billion U.S. dollars) in 2010, growing at a pace of 6.1 percent throughout the year.
Under the ADB's "Asian Century" plan, the region's GDP is expected to soar to 148 trillion dollars and account for 51 percent of global output in 2050. On a purchasing parity basis, GDP per capita in Asia would rise to 38,600 dollars, compared with the projected 2050 global average of 36,600 dollars, the ADB said.
"Being the 18th largest economy in the world and one of the fastest growing in Asia, Indonesia has the potential to contribute to Asia's economic growth, which will be the engine of global growth in the next 20 years," Standard Chartered Bank Indonesia senior economist Fauzi Ichsan was quoted by the Jakarta Post as saying./.