For what it's worth...this is what the Fraser Institute says. They are a right wing "think tank" using the term loosely based in Vancouver. They are blindly capitalistic right down to the lowest elementary school.

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Hong Kong is world's freest economy, Fraser Institute says
The award comes amid rising fears about China's influence on the Hong Kong market

Duncan Mavin, Canwest News Service
Published: Tuesday, September 16, 2008

HONG KONG - A Canadian think-tank on Tuesday hailed Hong Kong as a bastion of economic freedom, despite concerns about restrictions on foreign investors that want to buy into companies listed on the city's stock exchange.

The Vancouver-based Fraser Institute said Hong Kong has now taken top spot in its annual Economic Freedom of the World report for three decades.

more here:

Hong Kong is world's freest economy, Fraser Institute says


Hong Kong was awarded the top spot in the Fraser Institute's annual report after beating out Asian rival Singapore. The report, which looks at 42 areas of government policy in 141 countries, placed Canada seventh in its table of economic freedom.