The government will be more proactive in managing its assets to achieve higher returns and better governance.
The chief executive said he had asked the financial secretary 'to undertake a study to clarify the government's role, and its level of participation as a shareholder, in the management of its assets operated on commercial principles'.
At a post-address briefing, Donald Tsang Yam-kuen said the assets he was referring to included the airport, Cyberport, Disneyland, the MTR Corporation and tunnels.
Although there were government representatives on the relevant boards, they did not necessarily have a big enough say on investment returns, he said. These assets needed to be more professionally managed and achieve market returns, he added.
Hong Kong International Airport at Chek Lap Kok is fully owned by the government, but run as a commercial enterprise by the Airport Authority. Cyberport and Disneyland are joint venture projects between the government and PCCW and Walt Disney respectively.
The MTR Corp is a listed company majority-owned by the government and due to take over the rail operations of the fully government-owned KCRC. The government also owns several toll tunnels.