Views exchange: Chief Executive Donald Tsang updates President Hu Jintao on Hong Kong's latest political, economic and social developments in Beijing on Tuesday.

President Hu Jintao has pledged full support for Chief Executive Donald Tsang and the Hong Kong SAR Government. President Hu says Mr Tsang's team's strong performance has won public trust and support.

Mr Tsang briefed President Hu on the latest social, economic and political developments in Hong Kong at a meeting in Beijing this afternoon.

President Hu said Hong Kong's social and economic situation had improved, adding Mr Tsang and his team had worked hard to improve governance.

He said the Central Government was satisfied with Mr Tsang's team's work and would continue its determined support for Mr Tsang.

The President also praised the Hong Kong SAR Government's performance during the WTO's Sixth Ministerial Conference.

Reform package wins public support

President Hu said the political reform package Mr Tsang proposed was in line with the Basic Law and the National People Congress Standing Committee's decision and interpretation of Hong Kong's electoral arrangements in 2007 and 2008.

He said the package had won public support and would promote democracy.

The President stressed the Central Government attached great importance to the city's electoral systems and it was always the Central Government's stance to assist Hong Kong to develop a democratic system that suited the city and adhered to the Basic Law.

However, the city's political development should proceed in a gradual, stable and orderly manner, he stressed.

Rational discussion urged

The President said Hong Kong could develop its own democratic system in a progressive way provided the public took the city's long-term interests, stability and prosperity into consideration and created favourable conditions through rational and comprehensive discussions.

He said maintaining the city's stability and promoting harmony were what the public's wishes, adding both the Hong Kong SAR Government and the public should cherish Hong Kong's recent positive developments.

He urged Hong Kong people to unite, improve the city's competitiveness and create a better future for Hong Kong.

President undestands HK's situation

Speaking to the press tonight, Mr Tsang said he had told the President the proposed political reform package was vetoed because some lawmakers wanted to achieve the goal of universal suffrage in 2012, and were unhappy with the lack of a timetable in the package and the speed of the abolishment of the District Councils' appointed seats.

Noting the President fully understood Hong Kong's situation, Mr Tsang said President Hu recognised the package had won public support and appreciated the effort made by the Chief Executive and the Hong Kong SAR Government in promoting the proposal.

"President Hu has rendered his full support and warm encouragement. I really appreciated that."

Mr Tsang said the President was aware of Hong Kong people's aspirations for universal suffrage and believed the city should develop its own democratic system in a progressive way.

The Chief Executive said he did not discuss the concrete details of a timetable with the President, but he pointed out that the President supported his move to deal with the issue through the Commission on Strategic Development.

Communication continues

When asked whether the defeat of the proposal would affect the communication between the Central Government and LegCo, Mr Tsang said he would continue to do his best to bridge the gap, but all parties concerned must make an effort and show their sincerity.

"It was always a policy of the Central Government to look after the interests of Hong Kong. I am sure the fundamental policy will remain unchanged."

However, he said the fact LegCo voted down the proposal could not be ignored. "We have to consider what we should do next. In this regard, I will do my very best to do the middleman's job."

He said that the debate on the reform package had come to an end and he had not heard of any alternative packages.