However the good news, which resulted after measuring 76 indicators of freedoms including personal, civil and economic, came with a warning.
Hong Kong maintained its leading position as the freest jurisdiction in the world in the Human Freedom Index, released November 29 by the Fraser Institute.
However the good news, which resulted after measuring 76 indicators of freedoms including personal, civil and economic, came with a warning.
“While the freedom index doesn’t measure democracy, democracy remains the best safeguard of personal freedoms, so if China encroaches on its one-country, two-system relationship with Hong Kong, we can expect Hong Kong’s ranking to drop,” said Fred McMahon, the Dr Michael A Walker Research Chair in Economic Freedom and editor of the study.
Hong Kong scores high due to its economic freedom, pipping Switzerland into second place, followed by New Zealand, Ireland and Denmark. The UK ties in 6th place with Canada and Australia. The US languishes in 23rd.
Syria, Iran, Yemen and Libya form the bottom four places.
In Asia, China ranked 141st, only just ahead of Myanmar at 153. But faring better were Taiwan at 26, Japan at 32, Korea at 35, Singapore at 40, Mongolia at 47, Cambodia at 64, Indonesia at 72, Bhutan at 79, Nepal at 84, India at 87, Philippines at 101, Thailand at 107, Laos at 109, Malaysia at 115, Vietnam at 128, and Sri Lanka at 130.
Regionally, Western and Northern Europe, then North America fared best, while North Africa and Middle East brought up the rear just below Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.
When it comes to rule of law however, Hong Kong ranks a less impressive 14th, safety and security 42nd and 25th in personal freedom.