FILE PHOTO: A woman walks past a screen displaying the Hang Seng Index at Central district, in Hong Kong, China March 21, 2023. REUTERS/Tyrone Siu/File Photo HONG KONG : Only 62 new hedge funds launched in Asia last year, the lowest since number since 2009 and just 15 were China-focused funds, data provider Preqin said. The figures underscore the shift away from China as the world's second-largest economy struggles amid a property sector crisis and trade tensions with the United States. Instead there is rising demand for Japan, pan-Asia, and multi-manager strategies, market participants say.