I think you're confusing what 'free economy' means - not civil rights but the ability to open a business and do business, to trade without regulation. HK scores so high because of minimal bureaucracy and their lack of taxes too- it's not the best indicator either or necessarily an accolade to be proud of as this has repercussions throughout society, with predatory business practice free to exploit.
For example because HK only gets the top 20% earners to pay marginal taxes, this ultimately means the remaining 80% are trapped in the working class (despite the worlds best education results), and one third on the absolute precariat. In any other place this would have meant capital flight as the rich decamp a society devolving into crime, but thanks to HK's confucianist culture, lack of citizenship and democracy (both under the Brits and under China), there's little crime and nowhere to flee to anyway.
It's basically an experiment that its colonial masters - first Britain, now China -would never dare back home, great for making money and adding points to your economy, not so much for spreading that wealth which we all know has very, very little trickle-down effects.
HK is the worlds most unequal society in the OECD and the most unequal city, after NYC. It's an example of how a 'free' economy can actually damage the economy.
Anyhoo, World's Freest Economy yet again announced in 2022 by the Fraser Institute:
https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/...2090800841.htm