Chief Executive: “Clear Direction for Hong Kong’s Constitutional Development”

On April 26, the Hong Kong Chief Executive, Mr Tung Chee Hwa, announced that the ninth meeting of the 10th National People’s Congress Standing Committee (NPCSC) had decided that the method of universal suffrage shall not be introduced for the election of the Chief Executive in 2007. Universal suffrage shall not be introduced to elect all members of the Legislative Council in 2007; rather, the 50/50 ratio for members of the Council elected from functional constituencies and from geographical constituencies shall remain unchanged.

Speaking at a media session on the Third Report of the Constitutional Development Task Force, the Hong Kong Chief Executive, Mr Tung Chee Hwa, said that “the decision made by the NPCSC on April 16 has set out a clear direction for Hong Kong’s constitutional development.”

The third report by the Constitutional Development Task Force spells out the areas that may be amended in respect of provisions relating to the methods for selecting the Chief Executive in 2007 and for forming the Legislative Council in 2008.

“I fully appreciate that there is an aspiration in the community for returning the Chief Executive and all members of the Legislative Council by universal suffrage,” said Mr Tung. He acknowledged that there is disappointment about not having universal suffrage in 2007 and 2008. 

But he reiterated that the NPSCS decisions on constitutional issues have been made entirely for the sake of Hong Kong’s long-term interests, stability and prosperity. He added that the ultimate aim of having universal suffrage will not change.

Mr Tung expressed his hope that various sectors of the community will make the most of the opportunities that exist to have rational, practical and in-depth discussions on the various areas spelt out in the report.

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