East Asia’s economies are likely to weather the effects of any slowdown in the US economy and continue their breakneck growth next year thanks to the continuing strength of the Chinese economy, the World Bank said on Thursday.

In its latest semi-annual report on East Asia, excluding Japan, the bank said the region would grow 8.4 per cent this year, up from a forecast of 7.3 per cent made in April. For 2008, it forecast growth of 8.2 per cent, which would keep the region’s growth above 8 per cent for the third year running.