European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde emphasized the critical need for international coordination during her keynote dialogue at the World Economic Forum's 2026 annual meeting in Davos. In a wide-ranging conversation with CGTN anchor Guan Xin this week, the central bank chief analyzed current challenges in balancing inflation control with economic growth across major markets.
Lagarde noted that while global financial systems have shown resilience through recent market fluctuations, 2026 presents new complexities ranging from energy transition financing to AI-driven productivity shifts. "No single institution can address these cross-border challenges alone," she stated, highlighting the ECB's collaboration with Asian counterparts on digital currency frameworks.
The discussion touched on evolving monetary policies affecting Asian export economies, with Lagarde reaffirming the ECB's data-driven approach to interest rate decisions. Business leaders in attendance particularly noted her insights on supply chain finance innovations emerging from Southeast Asia's manufacturing hubs.
As geopolitical tensions continue influencing market confidence, the ECB president called for strengthened multilateral mechanisms, specifically praising recent progress in EU-ASEAN green investment partnerships. Her remarks come as analysts predict increased capital flows between European and Asian markets this year.
