Hong Kong's financial chief reported a substantial fiscal surplus of HK$11 billion. Officials indicated that the ongoing Middle East conflict did not significantly hinder the city's strong first-quarter GDP growth.

Hong Kong’s financial chief has revised the city’s fiscal surplus for the previous year to HK$11 billion (US$1.91 billion), nearly four times the original estimate, saying the ongoing Middle East conflict had a limited impact on the economy with gross domestic product (GDP) growth remaining strong in the first quarter. Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po also dismissed concerns that increased bond issuance to fund the Northern Metropolis megaproject would burden future generations as “overly...