Asia's developing economies are expected to grow by just under 8% in 2011, according to the Asian Development Bank (ADB).

亚洲发展银行预测，2011年亚洲经济发展将增长8%。

In its annual Asian Development Outlook it predicted that the region would expand solidly over the next two years.

However, growth rates would be slower than in 2010, it said.

And it warned that inflation would pose a challenge for many Asian countries and could lead to social tensions.

The ADB also said that stronger economic links between developing countries could offset¹（抵消，弥补） reduced demand for goods and services from recession-hit richer countries.

"Developing Asia, having shown resilience throughout the global recession, is now consolidating²（巩固，加强） its recovery and rapid expansion in the region's two giants - the People's Republic of China and India - will continue to lift regional and global growth," said Changyong Rhee, the ADB's chief economist³.

Asia, excluding Japan, would grow by 7.8% in 2011 and 7.7% in 2012, down from 9% in 2010 when the region rebounded⁴ strongly from the global financial crisis, ADB predicted.

Mr Rhee said despite some short-term trade disruption, he expected last month's earthquake in Japan to have a minimal⁵ effect on the region as a whole.

He added that some countries could benefit from increased demand from Japan for construction materials as the country begins to rebuild the areas devastated⁶ by the quake.

"Under the assumption there is no further deterioration⁷ in the nuclear situation, I really don't think the impact will be that great,"

China and India would continue to drive the global and regional economic recovery, the ADB said.

But, like the rest of the region, the two countries would see slower rates of growth than last year, it added.

Economic growth in China was expected to moderate to 9.6% from 10.3% in 2010 as tighter monetary⁸ policy takes effect and as demand for exports in major markets such as the US and Europe remained sluggish⁹（萧条的） .

India's economy was expected to expand by 8.2% in the year to March 2012, down from an expected 8.6% in the year to March 2011.