More Poland-Asia links urged

Poland and the Asia-Pacific region can work together closely and learn from each other's development models to maintain their status as fast-growing economies, a renowned Polish economist said.

Marcin Piatkowski, a professor of economics at Kozminski University in Warsaw, said Poland can learn from countries such as China and South Korea to focus more on innovation — particularly in frontier technologies — to uphold fast growth and become one of the most important European leaders.

In an interview with China Daily, the economist added that China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region "can serve as a base for Polish businesses to serve the Asian markets".

Increased collaboration is especially important now as the world grapples with the fallout of the Middle East conflict and energy crisis, he noted.

As a prominent voice in global economic policy, Piatkowski is widely known for his research on economic growth, and is the author of the critically acclaimed book Europe's Growth Champion, which offers insights on Poland's economic rise, a country which, in 1990, was almost as poor as Jamaica.

According to him, Poland and Asia-Pacific have complementary advantages, and they can collaborate with each other to withstand the challenges of the times.

In the interview in Hong Kong, the professor highlighted Poland's economic advantages — such as openness to trade and low income inequality — and also noted that "Polish human capital is highly competitive and cost-effective".

He pointed out that Poland's GDP growth has been the fastest in Europe since 1990, driven by good foreign direct investment inflow as well as a robust political system, making it easier for developing countries to replicate its model.

However, he said that that his nation can learn from leading Asian economic powers such as China and South Korea and bolster innovation.

"In the meantime, Asian countries can learn from Poland's open and liberal economy, its ability to balance life and work, and its success in translating higher incomes into higher happiness," he said, noting that Poland's happiness ranking has improved significantly, moving from 48th to the 24th spot globally, and could overtake the US soon.

The economic expert also touched on the impact of the Middle East conflict on the world's economy, predicting a 0.3 percent slowdown in global growth and higher inflation.

Poland, as the fastest-growing large economy in the European Union, will see its growth rate affected, with final GDP growth for 2026 potentially lower, Piatkowski said.

Meanwhile, the Middle East crisis is particularly negative for Asia — which is a bigger net importer of energy — as it affects both physical access to oil as well as prices, he said.

Asia-Pacific nations should insulate their economies from shocks by reducing oil and gas demand and accelerating investment in renewable energy, Piatkowski said.

"Poland is already investing in renewables and nuclear energy, aiming to be energy independent by 2035 or 2040," he said, "The war should serve as a signal for countries to focus more on energy independence and renewable energy investments."

Piatkowski described the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region as a symbol of economic success and a blueprint for other economies.

On boosting economic ties between Poland and Hong Kong, Piatkowski said an important aspect is bolstering people-to-people exchanges, bringing more Polish people to Hong Kong and vice versa, through government initiatives, as Poland is now the 20th largest economy in the world.

"Polish businessmen should expand outside Europe, particularly into Asia, which is the fastest-growing region (in the world)," he said, adding that Hong Kong can serve as a base for Polish businesses to grow their footprint in the region.