Hong Kong was once again ranked as having the world’s most economic freedom by the Fraser Institute, a Canadian research organisation. Singapore followed closely behind, with the United States coming in third.
“The link between economic freedom and prosperity is undeniable… the lowest-ranked countries are usually burdened by oppressive regimes that limit the freedom and opportunity of their citizens,” said Fred McMahon, a researcher at the Fraser Institute.
China ranked 115th (whomp, whomp) out of 151 countries (plus our oh-so-special administrative region). The report doesn’t explain the anomaly of China, where the economy is doing pretty okay despite limited freedoms, but… maybe Beijing can learn something from the report.
The Hong Kong government, welcoming this sorely-needed nugget of positive PR, was happy to report the results but were quick to deny the report’s concerns, in light of the protests, about the undermining of the rule of law and fair treatment of all, “threatened by an encroaching mainland Chinese influence on Hong Kong’s legal system”.
A government spokesperson said that the claims are “totally unfounded and not supported by any concrete evidence”, and that the rule of law is “well and alive” in Hong Kong. “It is also fearlessly guarded by our strong team of unfettered media professionals,” continued the spokesperson, perhaps in an attempt to sweet-talk the press.
We guess he hadn’t read the Hong Kong Journalists’ Association report about how 2014 was the “darkest year in decades” for press freedom in Hong Kong.
Photo: Alex Hotz/Coconuts Media
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