The unexpected gravity of the Asian financial turmoil, coupled with the long-standing financial factors of high land prices, high labour costs and high inflation rates, have rendered us less effective in resisting the attack.

• 亚洲金融风暴的强度超乎想像，加上香港过去长期留存下来的高地价、高工资和高通胀等经济现象，削弱了香港自身的抵御能力。