Hong Kong and Singapore are the most investor-friendly economies in the Asia Pacific, helped by effective governments, openness to trade and “generous tax breaks,” according to a survey by Vriens & Partners Pte.
Hong Kong ranks first and Singapore second among 18 regional economies covered by the Singapore-based consulting company’s Good Governance for International Business-Asia Pacific 2010 report. The survey asked 100 executives from mining, oil and gas, telecommunications and consumer goods companies to judge each market in the areas of rule of law, openness to international trade and business, taxation, corruption, public- sector quality and effectiveness, and fiscal and monetary administration.
The Philippines ranked 15th, behind Vietnam and just ahead of Timor Leste, Cambodia and Bangladesh in Asia.
“We see companies and governments are often miles apart and don’t necessarily talk to each other, except in Singapore and Hong Kong,” managing partner Hans Vriens said in an interview on Dec. 17. “There is a correlation between openness, success and GDP per capita.”
The survey focuses on Southeast Asia, where Singapore is poised to overtake Malaysia this year as the region’s largest economy after Indonesia and Thailand. Singapore’s gross domestic product will cap its fastest growth since independence, rising as much as 15 percent to about $210 billion in 2010, while Malaysia, 478 times larger, may expand 7 percent to $205 billion, government forecasts show.
In both Singapore and Malaysia, foreign direct investment may improve with the conclusion of free trade talks in the next two years with the European Union, said Vriens & Partners, whose clients include multinational companies operating in Asia.
Market size
“When it comes to China and India and the market size, the growth is there,” said Aaron Franz, an associate at Vriens & Partners who led the study. “For the smaller economies, market size alone is not enough. For Hong Kong and Singapore, good governance is what you sell the whole chop on.” Bloomberg
July 2025
Nutrition Month
“Give us much more than P50 increase
for proper nutrition!”
Invoke Article 33 of the ILO Constitution
against the military junta in Myanmar
to carry out the 2021 ILO Commission of Inquiry recommendations
against serious violations of
Forced Labour and Freedom of Association protocols.
Accept National Unity Government (NUG)
of Myanmar. Reject Military!
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July
3 July – International Day of Cooperatives
3 July – International Plastic Bag Free Day
5 July – World Youth Skills Day
7 July – Global Forgiveness Day
11 July – World Population Day
17 July – World Day for International Justice
28 July – World Nature Conservation Day
30 July – World Day against Trafficking in Persons
Monthly Observances:
Schools Safety Month
Nutrition Month
National Disaster Consciousness Month
Weekly Observances:
Week 2: Cultural Communities Week
Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprise
Development Week
Week 3: National Science and
Technology Week
National Disability Prevention and
Rehabilitation Week
July 1-7:
National Culture Consciousness Week
July 13-19:
Philippines Business Week
Week ending last Saturday of July:
Arbor Week
Daily Observances:
First Saturday of July:
International Cooperative Day
in the Philippines
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