Hong Kong Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying has submitted a report to China's top legislature on possible revisions to how the region's chief executive and local legislature will be elected in the future.
The report suggests the mainstream opinion is that only the Nominating Committee has the power to nominate Chief Executive candidates.
CRI's Hong Kong correspondent Li Jing has the story.
HK Chief Secretary Reports on Constitutional Development
Reporter: The report, which focuses on whether there is a need to amend the methods for selecting Hong Kong's chief executive in 2017 and for forming the Legislative Council in 2016, initiates the five-step process of Hong Kong's constitutional development.
While the report does not directly rule out the option of allowing the general electorate to nominate Chief Executive candidates, it stresses that the power of nomination is only vested in a nominating committee and that such power of nomination must not be undermined or bypassed.
The report also points out that the community generally agrees that the future leader must love the country and love Hong Kong.
Hong Kong Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying says the submission of the report is a historic moment in the constitutional development of Hong Kong.
"We will be able to take a big stride forward in the democratic development of Hong Kong if we are willing to forge consensus as much as we can and leave behind our differences in a rational and pragmatic manner on the remaining work. In about two years, over 5 million eligible voters in Hong Kong could directly elect the Chief Executive through "one person, one vote" for the first time in our history."
The Standing Committee of the National People's Congress is expected to make an initial decision on Hong Kong's reform path late next month.
The report summarizes the views of the people of Hong Kong regarding electoral reform collected through a five-month public consultation exercise.
Separately, Chief Secretary Carrie Lam briefed legislators on the results of a government public consultation on the 2017 Chief Executive and 2016 Legislative Council polls.
Lam acknowledges the hope of some people for civil nomination, and says the local government will reflect these views to Beijing.
"The HK Government respects the public expressing their opinions via peaceful, rational and lawful channels, in particular their aspiration for universal suffrage for the CE election and their determination to uphold freedom, democracy, the rule of law and other core values. "
After the top legislature made a decision, the Hong Kong government will launch another round of public consultation around the end of the year.
Public views on specific proposals on universal suffrage for the Chief Executive election in 2017 will be selected then.
For CRI, this is Li Jing in Hong Kong.
