香港与新加坡的不同药方

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计划，以应对不断上涨的物价、人口老龄化及全球增长放缓。互为对手的亚洲两大金融中心，将因此走上不同的经济发展道路。

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.

长期以来，这两个英国前殖民地均以极低的税率、不断增长的家庭收入和发达的金融服务业闻名于世。自2010年以来，两地一直被世界银行(WB)列入全球三大商业环境最佳地区。

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，两地近年来均面临生活成本升高和人口结构转变的挑战。就在本周，这两座城市的领导人都公布了今后一年的预算，两份方案凸显出两地应对此类问题的不同思路。

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.

周三，香港选择动用其638亿港元（合82亿美元）的财政预算盈余，为所有居民提供一次性的所得税和营业税退税。此举再次确认了港府致力于打造低税收、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.

毕马威(KPMG)的查尔斯•金斯利(Charles Kinsley)表示，由于许多较贫穷市民的所得还未达到个人所得税的征收下限，上述举措的好处可能只有香港中高收入居民才能体会到。

“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.

香港财政司司长曾俊华(John Tsang)表示：“我知道，许多香港市民正指望政府的救济措施减轻他们的负担。”然而，他说，出于对短期经济增长的顾虑，香港政府必须以“谨慎的态度”调配资金。2014年香港经济增长率是2.3%，而新加坡经济则增长了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.

为提振萎靡不振的旅游业，曾俊华公布了对餐馆、旅馆和旅行社的免税举措。按照曾俊华的说法，香港旅游业的艰难处境，是去年民主运动的结果。

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，香港零售总额下滑了0.2%。不过，许多分析师将零售总额的疲软归因于中国的反腐运动，该举措极大地影响了人们对奢侈品的需求。在抗议活动的几个月内，香港总体消费开支却出现了增长，这在很大程度上要归功于苹果(Apple)推出的iPhone 6手机。

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，香港还为某些短期救济措施安排了资金，并为较贫穷的退休人员拨备了额外现金。不过，香港政府并未建立全民养老金制度。相反，港府鼓励较年长人士重返工作岗位。

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.

新加坡政府则与香港不同。在周一公布的计划中，它以提高最富有居民的税收方式实现财富再分配，以便应对社会福利开支——尤其是医保开支——的增长。

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.

受惠于这一计划的包括退休人员和低收入家庭，他们将获得更多资助，以及高技术人员，他们将获得更多额外资金用于培训。根据联昌国际银行(CIMB)的计算，上述措施合起来，将令新加坡政府开支与国内生产总值(GDP)之比，从目前的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.”

新加坡财政部长尚达曼(Tharman Shanmugaratnam)在其预算讲话中表示：“我们已为未来设定了新的方向。我们正在开展根本性的政策转变，以便为新加坡人提供生命所有阶段的更大保障、创造更多机遇、并为所有人打造更美好的家园。”

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.

从现在起到2017年的某个时候，新加坡人将投票举行大选。为此，部分分析师宣称这一预算方案是一种选举前的拉票行为。

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.

自金融危机以来，香港和新加坡的生活成本都已急剧攀升，令人们日益担心社会不公的问题。目前，经济学人信息部(Economist Intelligent Unit, EIU)将新加坡列为全球消费最高的城市。而根据第一太平戴维斯(Savills)的数据，香港拥有全球最高的房价。

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.

在香港抗议活动期间，生活成本是抗议者公开表达不满的问题之一。将近三个月的抗议活动，曾导致香港三个商业区的主要街道关闭。

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.

香港定于在2017年实行普选，不过批评者表示，按照该选举方案，候选人的提名将受严格控制，从而无法实现真正的民主。