The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government on Tuesday welcomed that Canada's Fraser Institute once again ranked Hong Kong as the world's freest economy in the Economic Freedom of the World 2021 Annual Report.
"This is an unequivocal affirmation of Hong Kong's long-standing and steadfast commitment to building a free economy with a level playing field," a government spokesman said.
Hong Kong has gained the top rank since the inception of the report. In this year's report, among the five areas of assessment, Hong Kong continued to rank top in "Freedom to Trade Internationally" and "Regulation."
As an inalienable part of China, Hong Kong enjoys a high degree of autonomy under "one country, two systems" and comes directly under the central government, the spokesman said.
Since its return to the motherland, Hong Kong has been implementing the "one country, two systems" principle, "Hong Kong people administering Hong Kong" and a high degree of autonomy in strict accordance with the HKSAR Basic Law, the spokesman said.
The central government has time and again made it clear that it will unswervingly implement the policy of "one country, two systems," the spokesman said.
To uphold and implement the principle of "one country, two systems" meets the interests of the Hong Kong people, is conducive for maintaining Hong Kong's prosperity and stability and serves the fundamental interests of the nation, the spokesman said.
The HKSAR government will continue to uphold Hong Kong's institutional strengths, including the rule of law and judicial independence, a free trade and investment regime, a simple and low tax system, a favorable business environment and an efficient and clean government, the spokesman said.
These strengths will continue to provide a conducive environment for businesses to thrive and to strengthen their competitiveness, thereby enabling the economy to prosper, the spokesman said.
