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The following is issued on behalf of the Executive Council Secretariat:

Following is the transcript of remarks by the Executive Council members, Mr Leung Chun-ying, Mr Cheng Yiu-tong and Mr Andrew Liao, on the 2004-2005 Budget at the Legislative Council Building this (March 10) afternoon.

Mr Leung: The other non-official members of the Executive Council will speak to the media together with their respective parties. Three of us here share our views on the Budget. We support this Budget and this Budget is a very solid one. It carried through the policy laid down by the Chief Executive in its Policy Address. We made best use of both external circumstances of worldwide economic recovery and the internal circumstances of benefit, and rather unique benefit, Hong Kong has under the CEPA; and also built on the foundation laid down by the economic reform and recovery measures announced by the Government over the years. It is a solid budget and we totally support this Budget.

(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript)

Ends/Wednesday, March 10, 2004

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