The financial secretary is adamant - he says he will listen to criticism of his budget but there is little room for negotiation.
Since John Tsang Chun-wah delivered his financial blueprint four days ago, there have been widespread complaints and calls for amendments.
'We should humbly listen more to citizens' opinions. These days I have been doing my best to patiently explain the content of the budget to people and tell them how the measures benefit them,' Tsang said on a Commercial Radio programme that highlighted a university survey showing his fourth budget was his least popular.
'We sum up opinions from time to time, and hope there is a chance to improve in the future.'
Pressed on whether there was room for him to change the proposals, he said: 'When we drew up the budget, we considered the political and fiscal situations in their entirety.
'We had already sought an internal balance when putting forward a set of measures. We can't take this part out and that part out. It is impossible.'
