HK Tops Asia Internationalization Index, Widening Lead Over Singapore
Thestandard · 1 SOURCESabout 3 hours ago2 MIN
Summary
Hong Kong has successfully retained its position as Asia's most international city in the latest Asia Internationalization Index released by the Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce and Ipsos, scoring 74.6 points to widen its lead over regional rival Singapore, which scored 72.6 points . The scoring gap between the two cities expanded from 0.2 points last year to 2 points this year, underscoring Hong Kong's strong international competitiveness and economic resilience across multiple core domains .
Key Points
- Hong Kong secured the top rank in the business and economy sector, with its financial market score reaching 82 points compared to Singapore's 61 points, a margin of 21 points
- IPO funds raised surged 188 percent over the past year, reclaiming Hong Kong's position as the top global market for initial public offerings
- Quality of life scored 74.6 points versus Singapore's 66.3 points, with 47 percent urban green space coverage and over 70 Michelin-starred restaurants
- Hong Kong advanced from fourth to third place in the innovation and technology category, surpassing Singapore for the first time in this metric
- Over 14,000 international research talent movements were recorded within a single year, representing a twofold increase from the previous year and ranking highest among all 11 surveyed Asian cities
Why It Matters
The index results reflect the tangible impact of recent policy measures aimed at attracting global talent, increasing technology investments, promoting a mega-events economy, and advancing key regional development initiatives . As the gap with Singapore widens across multiple domains, the findings signal growing international confidence in Hong Kong's financial markets and innovation ecosystem amid intensifying regional competition.
The index results reflect the tangible impact of recent policy measures aimed at attracting global talent, increasing technology investments, promoting a mega-events economy, and advancing key regional development initiatives . As the gap with Singapore widens across multiple domains, the findings signal growing international confidence in Hong Kong's financial markets and innovation ecosystem amid intensifying regional competition.