Collateral Damage

Protests Stunt Hong Kong Growth

Finance minister warns of lower GDP.

Hong Kong’s economic growth for this year could be lower than the government’s earlier forecast of 2.2 percent, Financial Secretary John Tsang Chun-wah warned Monday, saying the Occupy movement is harming the city’s image as an international financial center. His comments came as some of the protests’ most violent clashes erupted overnight, resulting in 40 people being taken to emergency rooms and four police injured. Protesters also attempted to lay siege to the chief executive’s office at government headquarters in the Admiralty district. “What these groups have done is very irresponsible. We need to condemn them,” Tsang said. In August, the government predicted real GDP growth for the year at 2 to 3 percent. That was downgraded to 2.2 percent last month, but Tsang said the figure likely would be even lower.