Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa slammed a motion calling for a
referendum on universal suffrage in Hong Kong Special
Administrative Region (HKSAR)?on Monday, saying the act would
"seriously" damage community harmony and its relationship with
central government.
Tung categorically ruled out any constitutional changes that may
depart from the Basic Law and rulings made by the?National
People's Congress?Standing Committee (NPCSC).
Backing Tung's views, Director of the Liaison Office of the
Central People's Government in Hong Kong Gao Siren warned that the
referendum amounted to a challenge to the country's constitutional
setup.
Gao said the move contravened the legal status of the HKSAR, the
Basic Law provisions on the election of chief executive and the
Legislative Council, as well as NPCSC rulings.
On April 26, the NPCSC ruled out universal suffrage for the
election of the chief executive in 2007 and the formation of the
Legislative Council in 2008. It also said that constitutional
development must follow a gradual and orderly pace.
The constitutional affairs panel of the Legislative Council on
Monday debated a motion moved by lawmaker Fernando Cheung to
request a referendum on constitutional reforms for 2007 and 2008,
including direct elections by universal suffrage.
Members of both the Democratic Alliance for Betterment of Hong
Kong and Liberal Party spoke against the motion during the
two-and-a-half-hour meeting.
Issuing a strongly worded statement ahead of the meeting, Tung
said the motion had caused serious concern in the community and
among various concerned parties.
He said the Basic Law already had clear provisions on the
constitutional development of Hong Kong and the procedure for
electoral change. What's more, clear rulings had been made in April
in Beijing for the elections in 2007 and 2008 in strict accordance
with the law and following consultations with different sectors in
the HKSAR.
"The NPCSC is the highest organ of state power. The HKSAR must
abide by and implement its decisions," Tung said.
(China Daily November 16, 2004)