Chief Executive CY Leung says that it is also the Government's goal to elect Hong Kong's next leader through universal suffrage and that it will listen to all views when implementing it.
Mr Leung told reporters today before an Executive Council meeting that the Government had paid full attention to all people's views – including those of the Federation of Students - and would continue to do so.
The Chief Executive added that he had thoroughly read a statement of demands the students issued yesterday.
Mr Leung reiterated that it was important for all proposals on implementing universal suffrage to stay within the framework of the Basic Law and the relevant decisions of the National People's Congress Standing Committee.
The NPCSC decision on universal suffrage is more democratic than the current way of selecting the Chief Executive by a 1,200-member Election Committee, he noted.
Mr Leung added that the Government would soon launch the next phase of public consultation to move the issue forward.