The Constitutional & Mainland Affairs Bureau says the community should first strive to agree on the number of Chief Executive election candidates which the nominating committee should put forth. It will give people a clearer idea of the scale of the general election. Thereafter, detailed nomination procedures can be discussed and agreed upon.

The Government hopes that any proposal for implementing universal suffrage will attract the majority public support. In the coming months, universities and think-tanks will conduct independent opinion polls, and the Government will track the level of public support for various proposals closely.

In response to the remarks made by lawmaker Ronny Tong on a radio programme today, the bureau said the third-term HKSAR Government has taken a position more advanced than that adopted in any previous term of Government in pushing forward democracy in Hong Kong.

Universal suffrage achievable

The Green Paper on Constitutional Development has set out different views put forth by the Commission on Strategic Development and the community on the key issues for implementing universal suffrage. To facilitate public discussion, the relevant views were summarised and presented as three types of options. 

The Government has not taken a view on the key issues. However, once consensus is attained on them, universal suffrage is achievable, the bureau said. 

In attaining universal suffrage, Hong Kong people must act according to the constitutional framework. Any change to the electoral system requires consensus among the three parties concerned, i.e. two-thirds majority support in the Legislative Council, consent of the Chief Executive, and endorsement by the National People's Congress Standing Committee.