Financial Secretary Paul Chan to unveil the city's 2026/27 budget on Feb. 25
發佈日期: 2026-01-11 23:51
TVB News
Financial Secretary Paul Chan revealed that the capital account for this year will still record a deficit as he preps for February's Budget.
A one-month public consultation exercise has been launched for the upcoming 2026/27 budget, which is scheduled to be unveiled on the 25th of next month.
Writing on his weekly blog, the finance chief indicated that the city is able to achieve an operating account surplus earlier than expected, driven by strong financial market performance and increased stock trading stamp duty revenue.
However, overall government expenditures are on the rise, resulting in a deficit in the capital account, under which public money is used to accelerate the development of the Northern Metropolis, and other infrastructure projects.
This as Chan said the government will leverage market forces, by issuing bonds to support infrastructure.
He said the returns on infrastructure investment will manifest gradually after completion.
Currently, the outstanding debt of the government stands at about 12 percent of the local GDP, a level Chan described as "very healthy" by international standards.
He also noted that the city's economy remains resilient while experiencing stable growth over the years following the Covid-19 pandemic.
However, facing rising geopolitical tensions, unilateralism and hegemonism, he warned of potential increase in market volatility.
He said Hong Kong should cautiously guard against the potential impact of external market volatility on local markets and capital flows.
