Chief Secretary urges HK to share reform views

Hong Kong's Chief Secretary Carrie Lam urged the public to forge a consensus on political reform to achieve universal suffrage in 2017 on Wednesday, after launching a five-month public consultation.

Lam said that for this consultation round, the government will not put forward any specific proposals, and will not comment on any proposals raised by others.

The Consultation Document sets out key issues for public comment, relating to the method for forming the Legislative Council include the number of seats and composition of the council; composition and electorate base of functional constituencies; and number of geographical constituencies and the number of seats in each of them.

Lam, who also heads a special team for the public consultation, said the election by universal suffrage of the chief executive and the Legislative Council must be implemented under the framework of the Basic Law as well as decisions and interpretations of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), China's top legislature.

According to the Basic Law and the top legislature's explanations, amending the two elections' methods in Hong Kong needs to go through a five-step progress.

"First, the chief executive to make a report to the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress so as to invite the top legislature to decide whether it is necessary to amend the methods of selection and formation," Lam said.

"Secondly, the NPC Standing Committee to make a determination on whether any amendment to the methods may be made.

"Thirdly, if the NPC Standing Committee determines that amendments to the methods may be made, the SAR government to introduce to the Legislative Council a resolution on the amendments to the methods to be passed by a two-thirds majority of all Legislative Council members.

"Fourthly, the chief executive to consent to the resolution as passed by the Legislative Council, and finally the chief executive to lodge the relevant bill to the NPC Standing Committee for approval or for the record," Lam said.

Lam said in her statement that in devising a model for implementing universal suffrage, the government must ensure it is consistent with four major principles: meeting the interests of different sectors of society, facilitating the development of the capitalist economy, gradual and orderly progress, and appropriate to the actual situation in Hong Kong.

The city's government also launched a special website, www.2017.gov.hk, on Wednesday to solicit public views along with the consultation document's full text, key facts about Hong Kong's constitutional development and other related information.

"I appeal to all quarters of the community, particularly political leaders and Legislative Council members, to take into account that if we do not seize the opportunity, constitutional development in Hong Kong will have to suffer from an impasse again, and what possible implications this may bring about to political, social and economic stability of Hong Kong," she said.

Lam urged the public to discuss the matter in a rational, peaceful and pragmatic manner, and with an open, accommodating and inclusive mind.