The Hong Kong Government treasures the relations between Hong Kong and Taiwan, and has strived to facilitate exchanges between the two places, the Constitutional Affairs Bureau says, expressing regret over unfounded comments the Mainland Affairs Council in Taiwan made over the past few days on Hong Kong's third-term Chief Executive election.

The election was conducted in accordance with the Basic Law and the relevant electoral legislation, and in an open, fair and just manner, the bureau said. Allegations made by those in Taiwan that the election was prone to intervention and manipulation were unreasonable and unfounded.

Such allegations represent a strong disrespect of the Basic Law, the candidates as well as the choice made by the Election Committee members based on their own will as protected by law.  The election result was in line with results of opinion surveys conducted by different bodies in the past few months, demonstrating the committee's broad representativeness.

The Basic Law prescribes universal suffrage as the ultimate aim for Hong Kong's constitutional development, the bureau stressed. Both the Central Authorities and the Hong Kong Government are fully committed to taking forward universal suffrage in accordance with the Basic Law.

It added how Hong Kong is to achieve the aim of universal suffrage is a matter to be pursued by the Central Authorities and the Hong Kong government together under the framework of the Basic Law. Those in Taiwan have no role in this regard.

The bureau says the Hong Kong Government hopes Taiwan authorities will respect the fact that Hong Kong has reunified with the Motherland, respect the Basic Law, and facilitate the early implementation of 'Three Links' - to allow the further and positive development of  relations between the two places.

The bureau noted that it had positively responded to Chung Hwa Travel Service's request and arranged a group of journalists from Taiwan to visit government departments over the past few days, to enhance their understanding of Hong Kong's electoral system.

In terms of media arrangements to cover the recent election, journalists from Taiwan were given the same help and support as journalists from Hong Kong and overseas.

The bureau also rejected as inaccurate statements by those in Taiwan on the circumstances relating to the refusal to allow Chang Chih-yu, former Senior Manager of Chung Hwa Travel Service, to enter Hong Kong.

Taiwan residents allowed to work in Hong Kong are issued with an employment permit. Holding this permit does not necessarily mean that they automatically have the right to enter Hong Kong, the bureau said.