Economic Policy CommitteeCommittee Activities

Economic Policy Committee Meeting: the Evolving Landscape Shaped by the New US Presidency

Steve Vickers, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Steve Vickers and Associates, and Carlos Casanova, Managing Director and Senior Economist for Asia at Union Bancaire Privée, provided valuable insights into the Asia-Pacific’s geopolitical and economic landscape at the committee meeting. Vickers stressed the critical implications of Sino-US tensions for the region’s stability and business environment, while Casanova highlighted tariff uncertainties continue to put downward pressure on global economy. With the newly elected President of South Korea and China’s upcoming five-year plan, members discussed the challenges for businesses amid the region’s continuously adapting dynamics.

Government Budget 2025-26: Beyond the Deficits

We had a full house at the roundtable luncheon, with Carlos Casanova, Managing Director and Senior Economist for Asia at UBP, Stanley Ho, Tax Partner at KPMG, and Heiwai Tang, Director at Asia Global Institute, engaged in a lively discussion on the latest Budget. Jim Taylor, the chairman of the economic policy committee, is serving as the moderator for the discussion.

Carlos shared the challenges of diversifying the economy and creating new revenue streams for Hong Kong. Meanwhile, Stanley presented the tax policies in the Budget and provided an overview of the global minimum tax mechanism. Heiwai highlighted the trend of Hong Kong's fiscal reserves, emphasizing the importance of not only examining the figures but also considering the overall trend, which serves as a crucial reminder to focus on long-term economic development.
 

Post-Budget Meeting

The Economic Policy and Taxation committees co-hosted a post-Budget briefing on 28 February featuring Bruno Luk, Deputy Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, and Joyce Cheung, Principal Economist of the Financial Secretary’s Office. They engaged in discussions with members regarding the recently announced Budget and addressed various issues related to bond issuance, as well as exploring potential strategies to enhance public finances.