就2024年施政報告金融相關措施之回應
香港證券及期貨專業總會（下稱「本會」）對行政長官李家超今天（10月16日）在施政報告中提出的多項金融相關措施表示歡迎和支持。這些措施充分顯示了政府推動香港作為國際金融中心持續發展的決心和策略。然而，本會對於施政報告未有提及下調股票印花稅表示失望，並認為這是進一步鞏固香港金融競爭力的一項重要議題。
股票印花稅議題
本會再次強調，隨著全球經濟前景充滿不確定性以及金融市場競爭日益激烈，適時調低股票印花稅對提升香港金融市場的吸引力至關重要。當前的印花稅水平在一定程度上抑制了市場的流動性，並增加了投資者的交易成本，削弱了香港與其他國際金融中心的競爭力。本會建議政府審慎考慮制定中長期策略，逐步降低股票印花稅，並最終取消該稅項。這一舉措將有助於提升市場的交易量，吸引更多企業在香港上市，促進金融創新，從而創造更多就業機會，帶動經濟增長。
此外，本會希望政府在進一步調整金融市場政策時，能夠與業界保持緊密溝通，協調推動有助於市場健康發展的方案，特別是在提升市場透明度和加強投資者保護方面，以確保香港市場的長期可持續性。
其他金融措施
儘管如此，本會對於施政報告中的其他金融相關政策表示歡迎和支持。這些措施涵蓋了金融科技、大宗商品交易及稅務寬減等領域，並展示了香港在構建多元且具前瞻性的金融生態系統方面的努力和方向。
建立大宗商品交易生態圈
本會全力支持政府提出建立大宗商品交易生態圈的策略。吸引船東及大宗商品交易商來港運作，將推動海運服務及期貨對沖等金融服務的發展，有助於鞏固香港作為國際航運中心的地位。同時，隨著海運服務的提升及大宗商品交易的規模化，香港可進一步強化其在全球貿易體系中的影響力。具體而言，本會希望政府能加快落實針對大宗商品企業的稅務優惠及其他配套措施，吸引更多內地及國際企業在港開展相關業務。
擴大稅務寬減適用範圍
本會對於政府計劃擴大稅務寬減適用範圍，尤其是涵蓋基金及單一家族辦公室的交易範疇表示高度支持。這一措施將進一步提升香港作為國際資產管理和財富管理中心的地位，吸引更多資金流入香港，推動資本市場的進一步發展。本會期待與政府進行深入交流，探討具體的稅務寬減措施，並在政策制定過程中提供專業意見。
構建金融科技創新生態圈
本會對於政府在金融科技領域的政策舉措，特別是針對央行數碼貨幣（CBDC）、虛擬資產交易及數碼資產代幣化的探索，表示全力支持。這些創新舉措將大大促進香港金融市場的數碼化轉型，使香港能夠在全球金融科技競爭中佔據領先地位。本會認為推動「Ensemble」金融市場基建項目及虛擬資產的代幣化，將為香港開創全新的市場機遇，吸引更多高科技企業和投資者。本會亦期待政府在推動這些政策的同時，加強對虛擬資產市場的監管，確保市場的穩定性和可持續發展。
總體而言，本會對施政報告中的金融措施表示支持，這些措施將為香港金融業的長遠發展奠定堅實基礎。然而，股票印花稅問題仍然是一個亟需解決的議題，我們呼籲政府認真考慮下調印花稅的可行性，並與業界密切合作，制定出切實可行的長期發展策略。本會將一如既往地支持政府優化金融市場的各項舉措，並期待與政府和業界各持份者攜手合作，共同推動香港作為國際金融中心的持續發展。
香港證券及期貨專業總會
會長
陳志華
2024年10月16日
Date: 16 October 2024
Response to the 2024 Policy Address on Financial Measures
The Hong Kong Securities and Futures Professionals Association (the "Association") welcomes and supports the various financial measures proposed by Chief Executive John Lee in the Policy Address on October 16, 2024. These measures demonstrate the government's determination and strategy to promote Hong Kong's continued development as an international financial center. However, the Association is disappointed that the Policy Address did not mention a reduction in the stock stamp duty, considering it an important issue to further strengthen Hong Kong's financial competitiveness.
Stock Stamp Duty Issue: The Association reiterates that timely reduction of the stock stamp duty is crucial for enhancing the attractiveness of Hong Kong's financial market amid global economic uncertainties and increasing financial market competition. The current stamp duty level suppresses market liquidity to some extent, increases transaction costs for investors, and weakens Hong Kong's competitiveness compared to other international financial centers. The Association suggests that the government carefully consider formulating a medium- to long-term strategy to gradually reduce and eventually abolish the stock stamp duty. This move would help increase market trading volumes, attract more companies to list in Hong Kong, promote financial innovation, create more job opportunities, and drive economic growth.
Furthermore, the Association hopes the government will maintain close communication with the industry when further adjusting financial market policies, coordinating schemes that promote healthy market development, especially in enhancing market transparency and strengthening investor protection, to ensure the long-term sustainability of the Hong Kong market.
Other Financial Measures: Nevertheless, the Association welcomes and supports other financial-related policies in the Policy Address. These measures cover areas such as financial technology, commodity trading, and tax relief, demonstrating Hong Kong's efforts and direction in building a diverse and forward-looking financial ecosystem.
Building a Commodity Trading Ecosystem: The Association fully supports the government's strategy to establish a commodity trading ecosystem. Attracting shipowners and commodity traders to operate in Hong Kong will promote the development of maritime services and futures hedging, helping solidify Hong Kong's position as an international shipping center. As maritime services improve and commodity trading scales up, Hong Kong can further strengthen its influence in the global trade system. Specifically, the Association hopes the government can expedite the implementation of tax incentives and other supporting measures for commodity enterprises to attract more mainland and international companies to conduct related business in Hong Kong.
Expanding Tax Relief Scope: The Association highly supports the government's plan to expand the scope of tax relief, especially covering transactions by funds and single family offices. This measure will further enhance Hong Kong's status as an international asset management and wealth management center, attract more capital inflows into Hong Kong, and drive further development of the capital market. The Association looks forward to in-depth exchanges with the government to discuss specific tax relief measures and provide professional opinions during the policy-making process.
Building a Financial Technology Innovation Ecosystem: The Association fully supports the government's policy initiatives in the field of financial technology, particularly its exploration of central bank digital currencies (CBDC), virtual asset trading, and digital asset tokenization. These innovative initiatives will greatly promote the digital transformation of Hong Kong's financial market, allowing Hong Kong to maintain a leading position in global financial technology competition. The Association believes that promoting the "Ensemble" financial market infrastructure project and the tokenization of virtual assets will create new market opportunities for Hong Kong, attracting more high-tech enterprises and investors. The Association also looks forward to the government strengthening regulation of the virtual asset market while promoting these policies, ensuring market stability and sustainable development.
Overall, the Association supports the financial measures in the Policy Address, as they will lay a solid foundation for the long-term development of Hong Kong's financial industry. However, the issue of the stock stamp duty remains a pressing issue that needs to be addressed. We urge the government to seriously consider the feasibility of reducing the stamp duty and to work closely with the industry to develop a practical long-term development strategy. The Association will continue to support the government's efforts to optimize various initiatives in the financial market and looks forward to working hand in hand with the government and industry stakeholders to jointly promote the continued development of Hong Kong as an international financial center.
Mofiz Chan
Chairman
Hong Kong Securities and Futures Professionals Association