TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan ranked sixth in the 2025 International Institute for Management Development World Competitiveness Ranking report published Tuesday.
The ranking evaluates 69 economies based on four pillars: economic performance, government efficiency, business efficiency, and infrastructure, per CNA. Taiwan remains the top-ranked economy worldwide among countries with populations over 20 million for the fifth year.
Under economic performance, Taiwan saw significant improvements in international trade and foreign investment. The National Development Council credited strong exports in semiconductors, AI, and high-performance computing for the surge, although rankings for employment and prices declined.
Government efficiency held steady at eight, with Taiwan ranking first for democratic elections and second for ease of business financing. The NDC noted these results reflect strengths in democratic governance and capital accessibility.
Business efficiency improved from sixth to fourth, driven by productivity and efficiency metrics that rose from ninth to second place. This leap played a key role in lifting Taiwan’s overall business competitiveness.
Infrastructure remained 10th, with technology and science infrastructure staying in the global top 10, and education rising three spots to 11th. Taiwan placed in the world’s top three on 24 sub-indicators, including corporate trust, sustainability awareness, and stock market capitalization.
Notable second-place finishes included corporate agility, R&D spending as a share of GDP, and effective board oversight. Third-place rankings covered high-tech exports, big data decision-making, and medium-to-high-tech manufacturing value added.
The NDC said these rankings reflect Taiwan’s strengths in entrepreneurship and innovation. It added that the IMD’s assessment offers a holistic view of Taiwan’s economic health and will inform policymaking amid challenges like US tariffs and global supply chain shifts.
