The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government is committed to implementing universal suffrage for the Chief Executive election in 2017, strictly in accordance with the Basic Law and the Decision adopted by the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress on August 31, 2014.
In a statement issued today in response to the report on Hong Kong by the United Kingdom Parliament's House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee, the Government added that it hopes different sectors of the community can discuss in a rational and pragmatic manner and forge consensus under the Basic Law and the framework laid down by the Decision of the NPC Standing Committee, so that five million eligible voters can elect the next Chief Executive through "one person, one vote" in 2017 as scheduled.
The statement reiterated that freedom of expression and freedom of the press are guaranteed by the Basic Law and the Hong Kong Bill of Rights Ordinance.
The Government supports the principle of editorial autonomy for journalistic work, and will not interfere with the internal operations of media organisations, the statement added.
