Based on Chief Executive Tung Chee Hwa's report on constitutional development in Hong Kong and opinions of Chinese lawmakers, the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC) is ready to make a decision on issues relating to methods for selecting the chief executive in 2007 and forming the Legislative Council in 2008 in the region.

The 10th NPC Standing Committee convoked its ninth session here Sunday to deliberate Tung's report on whether the methods for selecting the chief executive of the Hong Kong SAR in 2007 and for forming the Legislative Council in 2008 need to be amended, and discussed a draft decision on issues relating to such methods, which was slated for adoption on Monday.

Wu Bangguo, chairman of the NPC Standing Committee, attended Sunday's two plenary meetings and panel discussions.

At the first plenary meeting and subsequent panel meetings in the morning, lawmakers discussed Tung's report, opinions of the State Council's Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office on Tung's report as well as opinions of NPC deputies from Hong Kong, members of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference from Hong Kong, HK members of the Committee for the Basic Law of the Hong Kong SAR under the NPC Standing Committee, people from all fields of the Hong Kong society.

Li Fei, deputy director of the Legislative Affairs Commission of the NPC Standing Committee, reported to lawmakers on the opinions of Hong Kong people in all fields relating to Tung's report.

On Sunday afternoon, Wu summoned a meeting attended by vice-chairpersons of the NPC Standing Committee and formulated a draft decision on issues relating to the methods for the selection of the chief executive of the Hong Kong SAR in 2007 and formation of the Legislative Council in 2008, which was presented to lawmakers for review in the subsequent second plenary meeting and panel meetings of the ninth session of the NPC Standing Committee.

Lawmakers agreed unanimously in discussions that the methods for selecting the HKSAR chief executive in 2007 and forming the Legislative Council in 2008 need to be "amended appropriately" in accordance with the chief executive's report, opinions of the State Council office and the Hong Kong people.

They all endorsed the contents of the draft decision formulated by the meeting of chairman and vice-chairpersons, saying that such a decision complies with the Basic Law of the Hong Kong SAR and related interpretations the NPC Standing Committee has just made, reflects the principle for Hong Kong's constitutional development of gradual and orderly progress in light of Hong Kong's actual conditions, conduces to the harmonious coordination of social, economic and political developments of Hong Kong, balanced participation of all social strata, fields and parties in the HongKong society, effective operation of Hong Kong's executive-led system, and in the end, the long-term prosperity and stability of the SAR.

(Xinhua News Agency April 26, 2004)