CE: HK Constitutional development report built on majority views of public

Hong Kong Chief Executive Donald Tsang stressed on Wednesday that the Fifth Report of the Constitutional Development Task Force is built on the majority views of the public in Hong Kong and it is a significant step forward to democratic development.

The Chief Executive made the remarks at a press conference soon after Chief Secretary for Administration Rafael Hui briefed the Legislative Council on the Fifth Report of the Constitutional Development Task Force earlier in the day.

The report outlines the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government's package of proposals for selecting the Chief Executive in 2007 and for forming the Legislative Council in 2008.

Tsang said the package allows for greater public participation in both elections. It broadens the electorate base and increases democratic representation.

"I fully support the proposals, and hope they will be supported by the community," he said.

Tsang explained that the key feature of the proposals is to increase the democratic representation of the two elections by expanding the participation of District Council members in the Election Committee and in the Legislative Council.

He said this package has not come easily. The HKSAR government has left no stone unturned in formulating a package that embodies democracy and openness to the highest extent possible, and is consistent with the Basic Law and the Decision of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC).

The Task Force has also conducted wide public consultations and held thorough internal deliberations for more than a year.

He believed that the package of proposals strikes the right balance between the views and demands of different sectors. It addresses the community's aspirations for constitutional development, with due regard to the interests of all sectors of society.

The chief executive said the package also helps to maintain prosperity and stability by ensuring that Hong Kong's political system can continue to develop in a sustainable manner.

This is a defining moment for constitutional development in Hong Kong, he said, calling on all political parties and all sectors of the community to focus on the community's overall interests and put their own preconceptions and differences on one side.

Source: Xinhua