The incumbent Chief Executive (CE) Donald Tsang vowed to take concrete measures to further improve economy, environment and people's livelihood in the next five years, if he gets re-elected.

He also pledged to launch small-class teaching within the next five years.

Tsang made the promises at the first ever televised debate between CE candidates in Hong Kong yesterday in the presence of hundreds of Election Committee (EC) members.

"To consolidate Hong Kong's position as an international financial center and to maintain economic growth are our long-term tasks," Tsang said, adding he would strive for that goal.

The other contestant, Alan Leong, when asked about his economic development blueprint, said: "It's basically something that should be decided by the business instead of the government."

Tsang also hoped to press ahead with major construction projects to create more jobs.

Universal suffrage

As for constitutional development, Tsang pledged to publish a green paper by the middle of the year to gauge public opinion on the way forward.

Although it is a national policy to implement universal suffrage in Hong Kong, he said, it is still necessary to present the central government with a detailed plan and convince Beijing why it is good for the country and Hong Kong.

"Universal suffrage is no longer a controversial issue."

He further queried that since Leong's political development plan was not even accepted within the "pan-democratic camp" in Hong Kong, he wondered how it would be accepted by the central government.

Leong said he would realize universal suffrage in 2012, if he gets elected. The remarks came despite the fact that the community has not reached a consensus on the timetable and roadmap.

During the session in which the candidates answered written questions from members of the public, Leong was accused of putting forward a policy platform on constitutional development that was in breach of the Basic Law.

The inquirer wondered if Leong's platform was a mere load of slogans that could not work and if Hong Kong would be thrown into turmoil should he win the election.

Leong argued that as the Basic Law provides a mechanism for amendment, there was no problem for him to propose amendment of the Basic Law with regard to the appointment of principal officials without endorsement by the central government.