Taipei, Dec. 25 (CNA) Taiwan's investment environment was ranked as the fourth-safest in the world and the second-safest in Asia in the latest U.S. Business Environment Risk Intelligence (BERI) report, the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) said in a statement released Tuesday.

Taiwan received a total score of 67 points for profit opportunities recommendation (POR) -- the overall indicator used by BERI to evaluate each country as an investment destination.

Taiwan's ranking was down one notch from the previous report released in August, the ministry said.

Taiwan's fourth place was behind only Switzerland, Norway and Singapore among the 50 countries surveyed in the report, which is issued three times per year, in April, August and December.

The organization uses three main indicators to assess investment risk -- operating conditions (operations risk), political risk and the foreign exchange/external accounts position (remittance and repatriation factor) risk.

Overall, BERI gave Taiwan's general investment climate a 1B rating, which means investors can invest in Taiwan's equity market in the long term.

Taiwan ranked as the world's fifth-safest and Asia's safest place in terms of operating conditions, but ranked 15th in the world and seventh in Asia for political risk, according to the report.

The U.S.-based business analysis and rating service provider also forecast that the results of Taiwan's Nov. 24 local government elections are expected to have an impact on the promotion of domestic policy and that Taiwan's ranking could slip to 17th-safest worldwide next year in terms of political risk.

Looking toward 2019, BERI forecast that Taiwan will move down one notch to become the fifth-best investment destination in the world, with its overall POR score expected to fall to 65 points.

By 2023, Taiwan will remain as the fifth-best investment destination worldwide, with its overall POR score expected to rise to 68 points, it forecast.

(By Liao Yu-yang and Evelyn Kao)
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