HK chief says to put forward proposals on two electoral methods in late October

The Hong Kong government plans to put forward proposals later this month and consult the city's Legislative Council on the electoral methods of chief executive and lawmakers, Hong Kong Chief Executive Donald Tsang said Wednesday in his policy address.

He noted that the Legislative Council passed this June the draft amendments to the methods for selecting the Chief Executive and for forming the Legislative Council in 2012, which was signed by himself and approved and recorded respectively by the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress in August this year.

"It signifies the completion of the five-step legislative process for amending the methods for selecting the Chief Executive and for forming the Legislative Council," Tsang said, adding that the process is a "critical step forward" in Hong Kong's constitutional development.

He hoped that the bills will be passed in a few months to allow political parties and prospective candidates to make early preparations.

He also appealed to the community to adopt a rational, pragmatic and accommodating attitude, and take this hard-earned opportunity to promote the constitutional development of Hong Kong, paving the way for universal suffrage for the Chief Executive in 2017 and the Legislative Council afterwards.

Source: Xinhua