Mainstream opinion in Hong Kong has been positive on both the report on constitutional development submitted by Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa to the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPCSC) and the second report of the Task Force on Constitutional Development.

This did not come as a surprise since Chief Secretary Donald Tsang had said that people's demands were the main guide for the consultation work of the on-going constitutional development.

Over the major issues of Hong Kong people's democratic rights and the SAR's political development, nobody should go against the people's will. The central government, the SAR authorities and all individuals and groups in the local political scene must listen to public opinion and gauge it accurately to make the right political decisions.

Given the pluralistic nature of Hong Kong society, different strata of the community will naturally have different views on any major topic.

Regarding the question of whether universal suffrage should be introduced in 2007 and 2008, some believe that "one man one vote" is the single solution for resolving the governance problem and suggest that general elections should be adopted.

Some opine that universal suffrage is not the cure for the problem, and radical democracy may conversely aggravate social division and cause social stability. Others think that an "executive-led" government and "balanced participation" are essential to a mercantile city like Hong Kong; and that maintaining economic prosperity and political participation is the foremost task of the SAR.

In view of divergent opinions, Beijing has required the SAR government to be all ears and forge a consensus on the basis of these opinions. To that end, the Tung administration set up a task force which has seen 86 groups and individuals and put up a special website to collect public opinion. It has received about 660 letters, faxes and e-mails from members of the public. All these are important references in assessing public opinion.

The two reports of the task force listed out the full array of opinions on whether or not to implement universal suffrage in 2007 and 2008 as well as on constitutional development in general. The meticulous style they have shown is laudable.

The government's job is not only to enumerate the vast variety of opinions, but also to make inferences and pass judgments. It should identify among the confusing views the mainstream opinion which, at this point, is evidently neither retaining the present systems for electing the chief executive and legislators nor rushing through universal suffrage. Instead, it is to amend the election methods and give the constitutional development the necessary push. As to the pace of this development and specific proposals, more discussions are needed.

Opinions cannot be forced upon a society, and it is the tendency of public opinion to take the middle road. Neither those who are against any changes nor those who want the immediate introduction of universal suffrage should be upset by the fact that the reports have not called their views "consensus". Political figures in particular should act as the role model of respecting public opinion.

Some law-makers who favour universal suffrage in 2007 and 2008 have demanded that the chief executive submit a supplementary report to the central authorities with a view to elevating their demand to the position of public opinion. Their real intention is to force their views upon other people and work against people's will in the name of public opinion.

(China Daily HK Edition April 20, 2004)