A number of proposals and suggestions from the banking and financial sector are included in the Budget, such as developing a multi-currency clearing system, reforming the banking sector and reducing risks in the financial market. These measures will further strengthen Hong Kong's role as a financial hub.

The progress in contracting the public sector and reducing public expenditure is satisfactory. Proposals tabled last year, such as the privatization of the MTR is in progress. Projects of the kind will be significant to further scale down the public sector and reduce public expenditure.

The current year is expected to record a small deficit of $ 1.6 billion, which is much better than the originally estimated deficit and is not far away from a balanced budget.

As for measures proposed to enhance Hong Kong's competitiveness, there is room for improvement. In view of the rapid development of e-commerce, spending in education and training should be increased to boost the capabilities of the local population.