香港與新加坡的不同藥方

Hong Kong and Singapore have revealed differing plans for how to combat rising prices, ageing populations and slowing global growth, setting Asia’s financial centre rivals on divergent economic paths.

香港和新加坡披露了截然不同的計劃，以應對不斷上漲的物價、人口老齡化及全球增長放緩。互爲對手的亞洲兩大金融中心，將因此走上不同的經濟發展道路。

The two former British territories have long been known for their low taxes, rising incomes and booming financial services sectors. The World Bank has ranked them as two of the top three places in the world to do business since 2010.

長期以來，這兩個英國前殖民地均以極低的稅率、不斷增長的家庭收入和發達的金融服務業聞名於世。自2010年以來，兩地一直被世界銀行(WB)列入全球三大商業環境最佳地區。

But both have more recently faced the challenges of increased living costs and shifting demographics. This week leaders in the two cities announced their budgets for the coming year, highlighting alternative views on how to tackle those problems.

然而，兩地近年來均面臨生活成本升高和人口結構轉變的挑戰。就在本週，這兩座城市的領導人都公佈了今後一年的預算，兩份方案凸顯出兩地應對此類問題的不同思路。

Hong Kong on Wednesday chose to use its HK$63.8bn (US$8.2bn) budget surplus to help fund a one-off salary and profits tax rebate for all residents, confirming its longstanding commitment to a low-tax, laissez-faire style of government.

週三，香港選擇動用其638億港元（合82億美元）的財政預算盈餘，爲所有居民提供一次性的所得稅和營業稅退稅。此舉再次確認了港府致力於打造低稅收、放任式政府的努力。

The benefits are likely to be felt only by the middle and high-income households in Hong Kong, said KPMG’s Charles Kinsley, because many poorer workers do not earn enough to pay salaries tax in the first place.

畢馬威(KPMG)的查爾斯•金斯利(Charles Kinsley)表示，由於許多較貧窮市民的所得還未達到個人所得稅的徵收下限，上述舉措的好處可能只有香港中高收入居民才能體會到。

“I am aware that many of our citizens are expecting relief measures from government to allay their burdens,” said John Tsang, Hong Kong financial secretary. However, the government must allocate funds in a “prudent manner” because of worries over short-term economic growth. Hong Kong’s economy grew 2.3 per cent in 2014, while Singapore’s expanded 2.9 per cent.

香港財政司司長曾俊華(John Tsang)表示：“我知道，許多香港市民正指望政府的救濟措施減輕他們的負擔。”然而，他說，出於對短期經濟增長的顧慮，香港政府必須以“謹慎的態度”調配資金。2014年香港經濟增長率是2.3%，而新加坡經濟則增長了2.9%。

Mr Tsang announced fee waivers for restaurants, hotels and travel agents to boost the flagging tourism industry, which he said had suffered as a result of last year’s pro-democracy protests.

爲提振萎靡不振的旅遊業，曾俊華公佈了對餐館、旅館和旅行社的免稅舉措。按照曾俊華的說法，香港旅遊業的艱難處境，是去年民主運動的結果。

Retail sales in Hong Kong slipped 0.2 per cent in 2014, although many analysts attribute the weakness to China’s crackdown on corruption, which has dented demand for luxury goods. Overall consumer spending rose during the protest months, largely thanks to the launch of Apple’s iPhone 6.

2014年，香港零售總額下滑了0.2%。不過，許多分析師將零售總額的疲軟歸因於中國的反腐運動，該舉措極大地影響了人們對奢侈品的需求。在抗議活動的幾個月內，香港總體消費開支卻出現了增長，這在很大程度上要歸功於蘋果(Apple)推出的iPhone 6手機。

Hong Kong also earmarked funds for some short-term relief measures and extra cash for poorer retirees, but stopped short of introducing a universal pension. Instead the government will encourage older people to return to work.

此外，香港還爲某些短期救濟措施安排了資金，併爲較貧窮的退休人員撥備了額外現金。不過，香港政府並未建立全民養老金制度。相反，港府鼓勵較年長人士重返工作崗位。

In contrast, Singapore on Monday moved to redistribute wealth by raising taxes on its wealthiest residents to pay for increased spending on social welfare, particularly healthcare.

新加坡政府則與香港不同。在週一公佈的計劃中，它以提高最富有居民的稅收方式實現財富再分配，以便應對社會福利開支——尤其是醫保開支——的增長。

The package of improved benefits included more generous support for retirees and low-income families, and extra funding for high-skills training. The combined measures will take government spending up to 19-19.5 per cent of gross domestic product by 2020 from the current 18.5 per cent, according to CIMB.

受惠於這一計劃的包括退休人員和低收入家庭，他們將獲得更多資助，以及高技術人員，他們將獲得更多額外資金用於培訓。根據聯昌國際銀行(CIMB)的計算，上述措施合起來，將令新加坡政府開支與國內生產總值(GDP)之比，從目前的18.5%升至2020年以前的19%到19.5%。

“We have set new directions for the future”, said Singapore finance minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam in his budget address. “We are making fundamental policy shifts to give Singaporeans greater assurance at each stage of life, more opportunities, and a better home for all.”

新加坡財政部長尚達曼(Tharman Shanmugaratnam)在其預算講話中表示：“我們已爲未來設定了新的方向。我們正在開展根本性的政策轉變，以便爲新加坡人提供生命所有階段的更大保障、創造更多機遇、併爲所有人打造更美好的家園。”

Singaporeans are due to go to the polls any time between now and 2017, leading some analysts to bill the budget as a pre-election vote-winner.

從現在起到2017年的某個時候，新加坡人將投票舉行大選。爲此，部分分析師宣稱這一預算方案是一種選舉前的拉票行爲。

Living costs in both Hong Kong and Singapore have risen sharply since the financial crisis, heightening concerns about inequality. The Economist Intelligent Unit now ranks Singapore as the world’s most expensive city, while Hong Kong has its highest home prices, according to Savills.

自金融危機以來，香港和新加坡的生活成本都已急劇攀升，令人們日益擔心社會不公的問題。目前，經濟學人信息部(Economist Intelligent Unit, EIU)將新加坡列爲全球消費最高的城市。而根據第一太平戴維斯(Savills)的數據，香港擁有全球最高的房價。

The cost of living was one of the frustrations aired by protesters during the Hong Kong protests, which shut down major roads in three commercial districts for almost three months.

在香港抗議活動期間，生活成本是抗議者公開表達不滿的問題之一。將近三個月的抗議活動，曾導致香港三個商業區的主要街道關閉。

Universal suffrage is due to be introduced to Hong Kong in 2017 but critics say the plan for a strictly controlled system for nominating candidates falls short of genuine democracy.

香港定於在2017年實行普選，不過批評者表示，按照該選舉方案，候選人的提名將受嚴格控制，從而無法實現真正的民主。