Morning meeting: Chief Executive Donald Tsang has breakfast with President Hu Jintao in Sydney to update him on Hong Kong's latest economic, political and social developments.

Chief Executive Donald Tsang said focusing on economic development will not rule out universal suffrage for Hong Kong in 2012.

Answering media questions after a breakfast meeting with President Hu Jintao in Sydney today, Mr Tsang said Mr Hu suggested to him that Hong Kong should focus on economic development.

Mr Hu also asked him to do a good job on the Green Paper consultation on constitutional development.

Mr Tsang mentioned the steelworkers industrial action to the President during their meeting. He said he is really concerned about the issue and hopes both parties can remain calm and get back to the discussion table as soon as possible.

He said the Labour & Welfare Bureau and Labour Department will mediate and try to get both parties back to the negotating table. He said Hong Kong people would also like to see this problem resolved as soon as possible.

Mr Tsang said he thinks the biggest achievement of the APEC meeting was to have the 21 leaders signing the declaration on climate change. He said although Hong Kong is a small place, it will try its best to support the declaration.

First priority

Mr Tsang reaffirmed Hong Kong's commitment to greater economic integration in the Asia-Pacific region, and pledged to strengthen efforts to work with other member economies towards this end.

Negotiations on the Doha Development Agenda remain Hong Kong's first priority.  Hong Kong is also fully committed to achieving APEC's Bogor goal of trade and investment liberalisation, Mr Tsang said.

He added that structural reform to address "behind-the-border" trade barriers will help the region become more resilient to economic shocks, achieve greater macroeconomic stability, and increase productivity in the long run.

Tonight Mr Tsang will leave for New Zealand on his first official visit there as the Chief Executive. He will return to Hong Kong on September 12.