前任財爺唐英年在上年的財政預算案將葡萄酒和啤酒稅項大幅減半,令我感到不可思議,但從其他高官口中得悉,原來政府有零酒稅的計劃,希望把香港打造成亞洲葡萄酒中心。今天財爺曾俊華公佈他的首個財政預算案,葡萄酒和啤酒稅項終於如願完全取消,對於我輩酒佬當然是2008年的最大喜訊。 新鮮出爐的財政預算案有四項與酒有關,原文如下: 112. I now turn to wine trading and distribution businesses. According to industry estimates, total spending on table wine in the Asian economies excluding Japan is around $55 billion, which accounts for about seven per cent of the global market. The industry forecasts that there will be a considerable growth in table wine spending in this region and that the economies with the largest growth will include the Mainland, Hong Kong, Singapore, South Korea and Taiwan. 113. Hong Kong's advantageous geographical location, advanced transport and logistics infrastructure and rich experience in international promotion are favourable to the development of trading, storage and distribution of quality table wine. 114. Currently, London is the trading and distribution centre of quality table wine for the world. The industry in...