Hong Kong Slams World Bank's Business Ranking as "Unfair"

Hong Kong officials have strongly criticized a new World Bank report that downgraded the city's business environment, blaming "outdated data" for an "unfair" assessment. The World Bank Group's Business Ready 2025 report placed Hong Kong outside the top 20 global economies for overall business readiness. The city's Digital Policy Office disputed the findings in a Tuesday statement. Authorities argued that the report used old information, leading to inaccurate comparisons with other regions. They highlighted that Hong Kong still ranked in the world's top 20 for "operational efficiency." The city also placed in the second-highest tier for "regulatory framework" and "public services." The office specifically questioned the report's scores in areas like "international trade." It maintained that Hong Kong retains a highly competitive and attractive business environment for international investors. The World Bank has not yet publicly responded to the criticism. The Business Ready report replaces the bank's former "Doing Business" rankings, which were discontinued in 2021.