Hong Kong has been ranked as the most international city in Asia, narrowly beating out rival Singapore, in a new index released by a major business lobbying group.
But the Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce also warned that the city must address glaring weaknesses in innovation and talent to secure its future amid rising geopolitical risks.
The inaugural “Asian Cities Internationality Index 2025”, released on Tuesday, ranked Hong Kong first with a score of 73.7, just two-tenths of a point ahead of Singapore at 73.5. Shanghai was the top-ranked mainland Chinese city, placing fifth with a score of 65.1.
The Swiss-based International Institute for Management Development recently ranked Hong Kong third globally in its annual World Competitiveness Index, placing the financial hub after Switzerland and Singapore.
According to the chamber, Hong Kong’s victory was powered by its lead in the “business and economy” segment. But it placed fourth in “innovation and ideas”, trailing Shanghai, Singapore and Seoul.
Chamber chief executive Patrick Yeung Wai-tim addressed the gap, saying that Hong Kong’s development had not yet reached the point where its scientific research could successfully be commercialised on a large scale.
