Hong Kong Chief Executive (CE) Donald Tsang began the consultation exercise for his two-year term's second policy address by meeting professional sectors' representatives and Liberal Party lawmakers separately.

He promised to include in his policy address all the views he gathers during his month-long consultation exercise, even though they were bound to be different.

"In the final analysis, the policy address is to reflect the views of Hong Kong people and to serve their interests," he said in a statement.

"Like my last policy address, I will take a pragmatic approach to set policy objectives and implement them as best as I can during my term."

After meeting Tsang, Hong Kong Coalition of Professional Services Chairman Leung Chun-ying said it was his second meeting with the CE in two months.

The possible problems of the professional sectors have been handled with great care by the CE, Leung said, stressing that he had wanted to go to the root of the matter.

Though the 10 professional sectors raised category-specific concerns, they had two things in common too.

They want the details of the phase three of Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement to announce as soon as possible.

And, apart from the "export of professional services to mainland users", they want the central and SAR governments to allow mainland enterprises to open regional headquarters or branch offices in Hong Kong.

"If that happens, mainland enterprises will make use of Hong Kong's legal, accounting and other professional services and employ local people," Leung said.

Hong Kong Institute of Certified Public Accountants Vice-President Mark Fong said they were negotiating with the Ministry of Finance to know the practicing rights of its members on the mainland and hoped that all of them would be allowed to practice there.

At their meeting with Tsang, Liberal Party Chairman James Tien and other members suggested that the CE in 2012 be elected through universal suffrage.

As for the Legislative Council (LegCo) election, Tien said the functional constituency seats should be phased out gradually, but his party didn't have any concrete timetable for that.

"Since we have six years for the 2012 CE election, we think we have sufficient time to prepare well," he said after the meeting.

"For example, political parties should do better and the government should develop more political talents and consolidate the civil service as a back-up for the CE," he said.

"We propose that the government form a ruling coalition of like-minded people to enable future CEs to form their cabinets and solve the problem of lack of votes in the Legislative Council."
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(China Daily August 8, 2006)