The chairman and vice chairpersons of the National People's
Congress (NPC) Standing Committee decided Monday morning that at
its ninth meeting, the committee will consider and make a decision
concerning the report submitted by Hong Kong Special
Administrative Region (SAR) Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa on
whether the methods for selecting the SAR chief executive in 2007
and for forming the Legislative Council in 2008 need to be
amended.
The meeting--the Standing Committee's ninth--will be held on
April 25 and 26.
It was also decided Monday that the chief executive's report
would be delivered to State Council departments for detailed study,
and special personnel assigned to hear opinions from NPC deputies
and members of the National Committee of the Chinese People's
Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) from Hong Kong, HK
members of the Committee for the Basic Law of the SAR under the NPC
Standing Committee, people from all segments of Hong Kong society
and the Constitutional Task Force under the SAR government.
Tung said last week that the methods for selecting the chief
executive in 2007 and for forming the Legislative Council in 2008
should be amended to enable Hong Kong's constitutional development
to move forward.
Tung stressed at a news briefing that certain key factors must
be considered in making any amendment.
He said that Hong Kong must heed the central authorities' views
in examining the direction and pace of its constitutional
development. Further, any proposed amendments must comply with the
Basic Law, and no proposed amendment may affect the central
authorities' substantive power of appointment of the chief
executive. Proposed amendments must aim at consolidating the
executive-led system and must not deviate from its principle.
Tung also stated that development toward the ultimate goal of
universal suffrage must progress in a gradual and orderly
manner.
A number of factors must be taken into account when considering
issues, said Tung: public opinion, Hong Kong's legal status, the
present stage of constitutional development, economic development,
social conditions, the public's understanding of "one country, two
systems" and the Basic Law, public awareness of political
participation, political talent and political groups' maturity and
the relationship between executive authorities and the
legislature.
Proposed changes must represent the various sectors of the
political structure, and enable them to participate in politics.
Finally, Tung noted, proposed alterations must ensure that
consideration continues to be given to different sectors' interests
and the changes must not have any adverse effects on the economy,
monetary affairs, public finance and other systems as prescribed in
the Basic Law.
(China Daily April 20, 2004)