(Xinhua)
Updated: 2007-12-29 20:25

Qiao said that the decision will make it clear that appropriate amendments may be made to the specific method for selecting the fourth HKSAR Chief Executive and forming the fifth term HKSAR Legislative Council in the year 2012.

It also sets a timetable for universal suffrage for the Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) and for all the members of the Legislative Council of HKSAR.

According to the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council, appropriate amendments may be made to the specific method for selecting the fourth HKSAR Chief Executive and the specific method for forming the fifth term HKSAR Legislative Council in the year 2012.

The election of the fifth HKSAR Chief Executive in the year 2017 may be implemented by the method of universal suffrage, said Qiao.

After the Chief Executive is selected by universal suffrage, the election of the HKSAR Legislative Council may be implemented by the method of electing all the members by universal suffrage, he said.

Qiao said, in accordance with the HKSAR Basic Law and the opinions of the NPC Standing committee members, and with consideration to the opinions of the State Council and the report of the HKSAR Chief Executive, the meeting of chairman and vice-chairpersons of the NPC Standing Committee issued the draft decision of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress on Issues Relating to the Methods for Selecting the Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and for Forming the Legislative council of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region in the Year 2012 and on Issues Relating to Universal Suffrage.

Qiao made explanations about the amendments to the methods for selecting the HKSAR Chief Executive and for forming the HKSAR Legislative Council in the year 2012. He said that according to the Annex I and Annex II of the HKSAR Basic Law, the methods for selecting the HKSAR Chief Executive and for forming the HKSAR Legislative Council can be amended out of.

Qiao said, in accordance with the relevant articles of the HKSAR Basic Law and opinions of all the members of the NPC Standing Committee, and with consideration of opinions from other sources, the first article of the draft decision goes like this: "The election of the fourth Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region in the year 2012 shall not be implemented by the method of universal suffrage.

The election of the fifth term Legislative Council of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region in the year 2012 shall not be implemented by the method of electing all the members by universal suffrage.

The half-and-half ratio between members returned by functional constituencies and members returned by geographical constituencies through direct elections shall remain unchanged.

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