HK government blasts critics of city's prospects

Data shows robust economic growth, financial market strength and resilience

The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government hit back on Wednesday at critics challenging the city's prospects, releasing a wealth of data and facts demonstrating its development and competitiveness.

Hong Kong's resilience, flexibility and long-standing strengths under the "one country, two systems" principle are ready to steer the city through an uncertain global landscape, the government said in a statement issued late on Wednesday.

US economist Stephen Roach, who worked in Hong Kong for decades, had earlier repeated his grim forecast for the development of Hong Kong and China during a trip to the city, following his sensational claim that "Hong Kong is over" in February.