Property risk main target: HK official  

香港“財爺”談樓市：“非常措施”謹防泡沫風險

香港特區政府為了抑制不斷上漲的樓價，首次推出境外買家印花稅并延長特別印花稅年限，引起廣泛關注。香港財政司司長曾俊華4日撰寫網志重申，當局無意干預市場自由運作，旨在非常時期采用“非常措施”謹防樓市泡沫風險。

Hong Kong (CNS) -- Hong Kong Financial Secretary John Tsang Chun-wah said on Sunday that the local government had taken unusual measures to reduce property risk, not to interfere with free markets.

Property risk has increased as a bullish sentiment has dominated in Hong Kong, Tsang said on his official blog.

The city's real estate market still went upward, even when it was decoupled from the slow growth of the local economy, Tsang said.

He admitted that the curbs on HK real estate would cause inconvenience to non-locals, but said foreign buyers are still welcome. The government only hoped to relieve the loss of balance in demand and supply, he said.

These unusual measures in an unusual period are aimed at stabilizing society and the financial market, as well as reducing property risk, he added.