Abstract. Correlation analysis between atmospheric mercury (Hg) and other trace gases are useful for identification of sources and constraining regional estimated Hg emissions. Emissions of Hg in Asia contribute significantly to the global budget of atmospheric Hg. However, due to the lack of reliable data on the source strength, large uncertainties remain in the emission inventories of Hg in Asia. In the present study, we calculated the correlation slopes of GEM / CO, GEM / CO2, and GEM / CH4 for mainland China, South Asia, Indochinese Peninsula, and Central Asia using the ground-based observations at three remote sites in northwest and southwest China, and applied the values to estimate GEM emissions in the four source regions. The geometric mean of the GEM / CO correlation slopes for mainland China, South Asia, Indochinese Peninsula, and Central Asia were 7.3 ± 4.3, 7.8 ± 6.4, 7.8 ± 5.0, and 13.4 ± 9.5 pg m−3 ppb−1, respectively. The values in the same source regions were 240 ± 119, 278 ± 164, 315 ± 289 pg m−3 ppm−1 for the GEM / CO2 correlation slopes; and 33.3 ± 30.4, 27.4 ± 31.0, 23.5 ± 15.3, and 20.5 ± 10.0 pg m−3 ppb−1 for the GEM / CH4 correlation slopes, respectively. These values were the first reported correlation slopes of GEM / CO, GEM / CO2, and GEM / CH4 in four important source regions of Asia except the GEM / CO ratios in mainland China. The correlation slopes of GEM / CO, GEM / CO2 and GEM / CH4 in Asia were relatively higher than those observed in Europe, North America and South Africa, which may highlight GEM emissions from non-ferrous smelting, mercury mining, natural sources and historical deposited mercury (re-emission) in Asia. Using the observed GEM / CO and GEM / CO2 slopes, and the recently reported emission inventories of CO and CO2, the annual GEM emissions in mainland China, South Asia, Indochinese Peninsula, and Central Asia were estimated to be in the ranges of 1071–1187 t, 340–470 t, 125 t, and 54–90 t, respectively. The estimate quantity of GEM emissions from the GEM / CH4 correlation slopes is significantly larger, which may be due to fewer common emission sources of GEM and CH4 and large uncertainties associated with CH4 emission inventories in Asia and therefore lead to an overestimate of GEM emissions. Our estimates of GEM emissions in the four Asian regions were significantly higher (3–4 times) than the anthropogenic GEM emissions reported by recent studies. This may reflect the fast increasing anthropogenic GEM emissions in Asian countries in recent years. A preliminary assessment of natural emissions of GEM in China and other Asian regions was also made and well explains the discrepancies.