Financial Secretary John Tsang says he has drafted a budget that will help Hong Kong survive any political turbulence over the coming year.
Introducing his 2016-17 Budget speech today, Mr Tsang touched on the recent Mong Kok riot, saying the "serious unlawful incident" was troubling and hurt Hoping Kong's core values.
As politics and economics are closely intertwined, he said political volatility will impact the economy.
"Acute social conflicts will add uncertainties to the already adverse economic environment. 2016 is an election year. Apart from the Legislative Council By-election to be held four days from today, a LegCo General Election is scheduled to be held in six months’ time. We anticipate that political disputes will only intensify over the coming months.
"It is the duty of Government to take on challenges in our society. As Financial Secretary, it is my duty to mobilise resources effectively to maintain Hong Kong’s economic development and fiscal health; to support local enterprises, in particular the small and medium enterprises to cope with economic volatilities; and, to safeguard the jobs of workers."
He said the Government should fortify Hong Kong's economic foundation, promote diversity, and channel public resources towards improving people’s livelihood and supporting the disadvantaged.
"All sectors should have a fair chance in sharing the fruits of our economic success, and everyone in Hong Kong, regardless of age, gender and race, should be able to unleash their potential and lead a better life through hard work."
