Hong Kong's Constitutional Development Task Force released here Wednesday the fourth report after a five-month consultation, which gauged public views on methods for selecting the chief executive in 2007 and the Legislative Council in 2008.

Donald Tsang, Chief Secretary for Administration of Hong Kong who also acts as the head of the task force, said the public should forward their views by March 31 next year. He expressed the hope that a consensus will emerge by the middle of next year and the task force will then issue the fifth report and put forward a mainstream proposal.

Tsang noted that Hong Kong is a special administrative region of China and any amendment must respect the Basic Law and the earlier decisions made by the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress.

Tsang said the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government will hold further public consultations on this matter.

In addition to face-to-face expression of views, he said, there are many other ways such as using faxes, mails and the website and even telephoning the task force.

"In the coming few months we shall consult the public widely. We have in mind an open forum, inviting all members of the community to participate," Tsang said, adding the exact details have not yet been worked out.

The task force issued its third report on May 11, this year, specifying the areas that may be considered for amendment based on the decisions by the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress concerning the methods for selecting the chief executive in 2007 and forming the Legislative Council in 2008.

On March 30, the task force, set up by the chief executive to take forward matters relating to constitutional development, made public its first report on the issues of legislative process in the Basic Law relating to constitutional development.

Source: Xinhua