Hong Kong Secretary for Constitutional Affairs Stephen Lam Sui-lung came to Beijing Thursday on behalf of Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa to submit his report on Hong Kong's constitutional development to the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee.

Tung's report contains a request to the NPC Standing Committee to determine whether the methods for selecting the chief executive in 2007 and for forming the Legislative Council in 2008 can be amended.

Tung's report said that they should be amended to enable Hong Kong's constitutional development to move forward.

The chief executive submitted the report on the basis of the NPC Standing Committee's interpretation of Hong Kong Basic Law annexes on April 6, and after consideration of relevant sections of the Basic Law and all other factors, Lam said.

Deputy Secretary-General of the NPC Standing Committee Qiao Xiaoyang accepted the report on behalf of the NPC Standing Committee chairpersons.

The report and its annex will be submitted immediately to the NPC Standing Committee chairs, said Qiao.

The committee will meet to discuss the report in accordance with the law, and make decisions abiding by Article 45 and 68 of the Basic Law as well as on the basis of Hong Kong's reality and the step-by-step principle, he said.

The "one country, two systems," "Hong Kong people governing Hong Kong," and "high degree of autonomy" principles must continue to be observed strictly in implementing the Basic Law, he said, expressing confidence that Hong Kong's democratic system will be upheld in a healthy and stable fashion.

Tung explained his report at a press conference in Hong Kong yesterday. He said the Hong Kong government must heed the views of the central government when it examines the direction and pace of its constitutional development.

Any proposed amendments must comply with the provisions of the Basic Law.

The chief executive has also received the second report by the Constitutional Development Task Force, which sets out the views of the task force on issues of principle in the Basic Law relating to Hong Kong's constitutional development. It also takes into account public views gathered over the past two months or so.

(China Daily April 16, 2004)