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The following is a transcript of the 1999-2000 Budget photo session by the Financial Secretary, Mr Donald Tsang, at Central Government Offices New Annex today (Tuesday)(English part):

Financial Secretary : As far as the colour is concerned, it has a little story to it. Last August, I went to the northern part of Sichuan province for a very short holiday. And there was a very lovely area with waterfalls, and some inland lakes. The water was crystal clear. The first time I realised what turquoise meant, and it was it, so clear. It gives a sign of life, rejuvenation and brilliance and clarity. And this I thought was an ideal colour for my budget document this year, so I had chosen it.

Also I've chosen a glossy finish to the booklet. I believe it is a departure from our previous practice which was a matt finish. I wanted to give a sense of brilliance, a sense of initiative, and a sense of perhaps boldness to it. That is the sort of sensation, that is the sort of sentiment I wish to convey in this Budget.

Well, the title to the speech. I have eight Chinese characters with two phrases. The first phrase has four characters, the first two meaning "strengthening fundamentals" and the third and fourth characters means prudent financial management. Well that is exactly, as you know, encapsulates my own personal fiscal philosophy.

The second phrase means, together, we have to make new innovation and new bold steps. And this is precisely the sort of sentiment which I wish to try to convey when it describes the colour of my document.

And these two, together with my new English title follows the same theme meaning that we are going to welcome and face boldly the new 21st century, a new millennium. And that together is the sort of sentiment, sort of feelings that I wish to convey.

Reporter: ....saving on Government spending, given that you have chosen this turquoise colour. How concerned are you about your throat?

Financial Secretary: As much saving as I shall be able to outline tomorrow. I leave my throat to the worry of somebody else, not me. I will try to do my best. I hope I will be alright.

Reporter: How long will the speech take to deliver this year?

Financial Secretary: Pretty long.(Reporter: two and a half hours?) Well I do not know. It depends on my cough.

Reporter: (Chinese) How many pages are there?

Financial Secretary: There are 49 pages to the English text of my speech, and there are 47 pages to my Chinese text.

Reporter: Is there a reference that I'm missing? In the past there has been kind of pithy reference to the pop culture in the title, and I am trying to catch on with "onwards with the strengths". Is there something I am missing?

Financial Secretary: Well, you leave the pop culture to tomorrow.

Reporter: What was the most difficult aspect in drafting your Budget?

Financial Secretary: Well the drafting wasn't difficult, I must say. But the composition of ideas and the decisions on various proposals which I have to make. Those were the difficult areas.

End/Tuesday, March 2, 1999

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Transcript of Financial Secretary's Budget photo session (Chinese part)