Any changes to the method of selecting the Hong Kong Special
Administrative Region’s chief executive and Legislative Council
should take into account the current local situation,
representatives from Hong Kong told a National People’s Congress
senior official.
Qiao Xiaoyang, deputy secretary general of the Standing
Committee of the National People’s Congress (NPC), the country’s
top legislature, held meetings in Shenzhen on Wednesday and
Thursday to solicit views from Hong Kong representatives of a
variety of sectors on Hong Kong’s constitutional development.
Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) Chief Executive
Tung Chee-hwa submitted a report to the NPC Standing Committee
earlier this month with recommendations on how to select a chief
executive in 2007 and form the Legislative Council in 2008.
Tung’s report will be considered by the NPC Standing Committee
on April 25 and 26 during its regular session in Beijing.
Qiao was selected to meet with and hear the views of the Hong
Kong NPC deputies and the Chinese People’s Political Consultative
Conference (CPPCC) National Committee members, members of the Basic
Law Committee of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region under
the NPC Standing Committee, and representatives of industry,
commerce, finance, social services and religion.
Qiao also exchanged views with the SAR’s Constitutional
Development Task Force on Tung’s report.
During the meetings, Hong Kong representatives from various
walks of life expressed their views on the methods for the
selection of the chief executive in 2007 and the formation of the
Legislative Council in 2008.
Many of them believe necessary amendments to the methods for
selecting the chief executive and forming the Legislative Council
must be made gradually, in good order and according to the
practical situation in Hong Kong.
They said amendments should also be conducive to balanced
representation of different social strata and different walks of
life, the sound operation of the executive-led governance system,
and the maintenance of the long-term prosperity and stability of
Hong Kong.
(China Daily April 23, 2004)