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A survey has found that 76 per cent of Hong Kong businessmen have lost a deal in the past five years because a competitor had paid a bribe.
The report, by Control Risks, an international business risk consultancy and law firm, says Hong Kong was the most corrupt of seven countries studied – the others were Brazil, France, Germany, the Netherlands, the UK and the United States. The survey added that 36 per cent of international businessmen in Hong Kong felt corruption was becoming worse, and only 46 per cent of companies in the territory said they had a procedure to examine the integrity of potential business partners.
However, the Independent Commission against Corruption quickly responded that the survey sample was ‘relatively small’ and inconsistent with other authoritative regional and international surveys that found Hong Kong has a ‘clean and fair business environment’. In October last year Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index ranked Hong Kong among the world’s most corrupt-free countries.
In another study Transparency International puts China and India at the top of its Bribe Payers’ Index of 30 exporting nations, and says French and Italian businesses are the worst culprits for paying bribes in low-income countries. Chief executive David Nussbaum said it was ‘hypocritical’ that companies in countries that support the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development continue to bribe across the globe, while their governments pay lip service to enforcing the law.
Besides China and India, the countries whose businesses are said in the report to be most prepared to pay bribes are Taiwan, Russia and Turkey. The five where companies are said to be least prepared to do so are Australia, Austria, Canada, Sweden and Switzerland.
The report, by Control Risks, an international business risk consultancy and law firm, says Hong Kong was the most corrupt of seven countries studied – the others were Brazil, France, Germany, the Netherlands, the UK and the United States. The survey added that 36 per cent of international businessmen in Hong Kong felt corruption was becoming worse, and only 46 per cent of companies in the territory said they had a procedure to examine the integrity of potential business partners.
However, the Independent Commission against Corruption quickly responded that the survey sample was ‘relatively small’ and inconsistent with other authoritative regional and international surveys that found Hong Kong has a ‘clean and fair business environment’. In October last year Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index ranked Hong Kong among the world’s most corrupt-free countries.
In another study Transparency International puts China and India at the top of its Bribe Payers’ Index of 30 exporting nations, and says French and Italian businesses are the worst culprits for paying bribes in low-income countries. Chief executive David Nussbaum said it was ‘hypocritical’ that companies in countries that support the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development continue to bribe across the globe, while their governments pay lip service to enforcing the law.
Besides China and India, the countries whose businesses are said in the report to be most prepared to pay bribes are Taiwan, Russia and Turkey. The five where companies are said to be least prepared to do so are Australia, Austria, Canada, Sweden and Switzerland.
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