美國(guó)智庫(kù)傳統(tǒng)基金會(huì)日前共同發(fā)布的2009年“全球經(jīng)濟(jì)自由度指數(shù)”顯示，香港仍是世界上最自由的經(jīng)濟(jì)體。自第一屆指數(shù)編排開(kāi)始，香港便一直處于全球最自由經(jīng)濟(jì)體排名榜首位，今年已是第15次蟬聯(lián)冠軍，新加坡名列第二，緊隨其后的分別是澳大利亞、愛(ài)爾蘭和新西蘭。全球經(jīng)濟(jì)自由度指數(shù)主要依照商業(yè)自由度、貿(mào)易自由度、財(cái)政自由度、投資自由度、產(chǎn)權(quán)等十大指標(biāo)，對(duì)納入考察的179個(gè)全球經(jīng)濟(jì)體進(jìn)行評(píng)價(jià)，今年的指數(shù)統(tǒng)計(jì)截至2008年6月，因此并未反映去年下半年以來(lái)全球各國(guó)政府針對(duì)金融海嘯所采取的措施。

Hong Kong has been named the world's freest economy for the 15th year in a row, according to an annual report released Tuesday by the conservative Heritage Foundation.

Hong Kong has been named the world's freest economy for the 15th year in a row, according to an annual report released Tuesday by the conservative Heritage Foundation and the Wall Street Journal that warns against government intervention amid the global economic crisis.

The Chinese territory, known for its low taxes and looser regulations, was followed by Singapore, Australia, Ireland and New Zealand, according to this year's Index of Economic Freedom.

European countries again accounted for half of the top 20 economies considered free or mostly free, with Switzerland at No. 9 and the U.K. at No. 10.

However, the U.S. slid one notch to sixth place, dinged for increased government spending and tax revenue as a percentage of gross domestic product, one of the survey's authors said.

Ranking at the bottom was North Korea, followed by next-to-last Zimbabwe, Cuba, Myanmar and Eritrea. The southern African country, whose economy is in meltdown after years of state-endorsed violence and business controls, posted the biggest drop in this year's report.

The survey, which gauges 179 countries on 10 economic factors like trade barriers, property rights, taxes and market regulations, covers the year ending in June 2008, before the global meltdown led governments around the world to bailout financial institutions.

While free-market policies have been widely criticized for precipitating the current global financial and economic crisis, the report's authors defended free capitalist systems and argued against massive government as a threat to growth.

"Yes, there may be temporary ups and down, but in the long run more economic freedom leads to more wealth for more people than any other system," Edwin Feulner, president of Heritage Foundation, a Washington-based think tank, told reporters in Hong Kong.

"There is no escaping the fact that the freer the economy the more it flourishes," he said.

While Hong Kong has long been seen as a shining example of free-market capitalism, much of its economy is controlled by a small group of tycoons and cartels.

Government regulators, meanwhile, have been criticized in recent months for not doing more to protect local investors who bought Lehman Brothers-backed products that are likely worthless in the aftermath of the Wall Street firm's collapse.

(Agencies)

（英語(yǔ)點(diǎn)津 Helen 編輯）