Curbs on Hong Kong housing market won't last, says John Tsang Chun-wah
Finance chief says property measures will be rescinded once balance is restored
The government's intervention in markets is only a temporary measure to "restore balance" to weak sectors, Financial Secretary John Tsang Chun-wah said yesterday.
Speaking at a forum on "welfare populism", Tsang said: "We are still firm believers in the market, and it is only when the market begins to fail that, in selected areas, we introduce intervention to help restore the balance. Once balance has been restored, we will return to the status quo."
The finance chief's remarks were in response to earlier speakers who raised doubts about current government measures to rein in the property market, including new stamp duties.
The forum was co-organised by the Lion Rock Institute, a local think tank dedicated to free-market principles.
Tsang's speech continued the recent official line criticising some lawmakers' continued attempts to block a proposed old-age living allowance.
"Politicians worldwide are often tempted to introduce welfare measures to score short-term kudos, but the costs often only become evident in future," he said.