Singapore Surpasses Hong Kong to Claim Top Spot in Asia in 2021 Rankings
In the latest Schroders Global Cities Index, Singapore has climbed three positions to secure 8th place, overtaking Hong Kong to become the leading city in Asia. Other Asian cities in the top 30 include Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Beijing, Hangzhou, Shanghai, and Tokyo.
The index evaluates cities based on four key metrics: economic performance, environmental sustainability, innovation, and transport. It identifies cities that exhibit a balance of economic dynamism, top-tier universities, progressive environmental policies, and outstanding transport infrastructure.
London maintained its position as the top city for the second consecutive year, excelling across all four metrics, particularly in innovation, where it ranked first globally.
Singapore’s strong performance was driven by its exceptional transport infrastructure, earning a place in the global top 5 for transport and ranking in the top 10 for innovation. Despite not excelling in any single category, Singapore performed well overall. Its airport received the highest quality score in the database, and its commercial port, bus network, and metro system were noted for their excellence. Traffic congestion was identified as the city’s weakest area, but this is expected for a densely populated city. The government is actively addressing this by implementing measures to reduce private car ownership.
Hong Kong, which had ranked 6th globally in the 2020 index, dropped to 9th place globally and 2nd in Asia. Despite the decline, it continues to perform strongly in innovation and transport access.
