《TAIPEI TIMES》Taiwan’s competitiveness rises to 4th place: IMD report

International Institute for Management Development World Competitiveness Center director Arturo Bris attends a press conference on the institute’s latest World Competitiveness Ranking report in Zurich, Switzerland, yesterday. Taiwan’s ranking climbed two notches to No. 4 behind Singapore, Hong Kong and Switzerland in this year’s report. Photo: CNA

By Crystal Hsu / Staff reporter Taiwan climbed to a record fourth place in this year’s IMD World Competitiveness Rankings, as booming artificial intelligence-led exports, strong economic growth and a decade of institutional stability helped the economy outperform peers in an increasingly fragmented global environment.

The annual survey by the Switzerland-based International Institute for Management Development （IMD） ranked Singapore first, followed by Hong Kong and Switzerland. Taiwan rose from sixth place last year among 70 economies assessed, its highest ranking since joining the study.

The advance comes as Taiwan benefits from a surge in AI-linked investment, advanced manufacturing and the return of capital and talent from overseas, reinforcing its position as a critical hub in global technology supply chains.

Taiwan improved across all four pillars measured by the survey — economic performance, government efficiency, business efficiency and infrastructure — with particularly strong support from robust GDP growth and export expansion.

“Taiwanese businesses, talent and capital have continued to return home, while manufacturing, research and development, and more recently AI-driven production have strengthened growth momentum,” Representative to Switzerland Steve Wang （王思為） told the Central News Agency.

He attributed the result to sustained efforts by the public and private sectors over the past decade.

Highlighting a broader shift in the global economy, the report said that institutional resilience is becoming increasingly important as geopolitical tensions reshape trade and investment flows.

As the world is becoming more fragmented, predictable rules, enforceable commitments and legitimate state capacity have grown more important than ever, it said.

That trend has favored economies with trusted legal systems, policy consistency and the ability to adapt quickly to changing economic conditions, IMD World Competitiveness Center director Arturo Bris said.

“Countries with trusted institutions and mature legal systems are likely to gain an edge, as geopolitical divisions deepen and global governance mechanisms become less effective,” Bris said.

Singapore reclaimed the top spot after ranking second last year, aided by gains in business efficiency, while Hong Kong extended a three-year run of improvement to secure second place.

Switzerland, which topped the rankings last year, slipped to third due to weaker foreign direct investment inflows and persistent cost pressures. The United Arab Emirates ranked fifth, followed by Denmark, Ireland, the Netherlands, Sweden and the US, completing the top 10.

新聞來源：TAIPEI TIMES