With the global economy ravaged by COVID-19 in 2020, the world is hoping for a strong recovery. Good news - the International Monetary Fund has raised its global GDP forecast to six percent from the five and a half percent prediction in January. With countries employing aggressive stimulus strategies, can the decline caused by the pandemic recover more quickly than expected? And what are the immediate and long-term impacts of the economic downturn and the measures being used to cure it? During the Boao Forum for Asia 2021, Dialogue talked to Steven Barnett, the IMF’s Senior Resident Representative for China.