President Hu Jintao told Hong Kong Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa that economic development should be the top priority for the special administrative region (SAR).

They were speaking at breakfast on Sunday during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Santiago, Chile.

The president said Hong Kong now enjoys social stability, economic recovery and a consensus seeking development and harmony, and he hoped it would continue to remain prosperous and stable and put these above other concerns.

Tung thanked the central government for its support and said the SAR will improve the livelihood of its people and help those in need.

On the same day a government spokesperson in Hong Kong repeated that a referendum on electoral reform will not be held.

He said that such a referendum would be inconsistent with Hong Kong's Basic Law, and not conducive to building consensus on the two electoral methods for 2007 and 2008.

He added that two requirements had been enshrined in the Basic Law's tripartite amendment mechanism: "Firstly, that any changes beyond 2007 must receive broad-based support within the Legislative Council. Secondly, no changes will be possible without the support of central government."

(People's Daily, Xinhua News Agency November 22, 2004)