Property risk main target: HK official  

香港“财爷”谈楼市：“非常措施”谨防泡沫风险

香港特区政府为了抑制不断上涨的楼价，首次推出境外买家印花税并延长特别印花税年限，引起广泛关注。香港财政司司长曾俊华4日撰写网志重申，当局无意干预市场自由运作，旨在非常时期采用“非常措施”谨防楼市泡沫风险。

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.