Commerce Wire, HONG KONG, Oct 6 — Canada-based think tank the Fraser Institute released its Economic Freedom of the World 2026 Annual Report, naming Hong Kong once again the world’s freest economy. Among the five major assessment categories, Hong Kong kept the No.1 rank in freedom to trade internationally and took second place in regulation.
The HKSAR government remarked that amid rising global economic uncertainty and trade protectionism, Hong Kong upholds its free-port status, zero-tariff policy and simple low-tax regime, offering a stable, fair and predictable international business environment for investors worldwide.
Hong Kong’s appeal to multinational corporations continues to strengthen. The number of companies with parent firms in overseas markets and the Chinese mainland setting up bases in Hong Kong exceeded 11,000 last year, representing an 11% year-on-year increase and a new all-time high, signalling strong international corporate confidence in the city.
Under the “one country, two systems” principle, Hong Kong connects the Chinese mainland to the rest of the world, with financial, shipping, trading and professional services aligned with international standards. The city will keep reinforcing its role as an international business hub to attract more enterprises and talent.