Hong Kong's government said Tuesday it would be futile for people here to suggest electoral reforms that fall outside of China's "parameters", amid a row about democracy for the territory.
Beijing last month rejected direct elections for Hong Kong's leader in 2007 which democrats said had been enshrined in the Basic Law, the former British colony's constitution since it was returned to Chinese rule in 1997.
Beijing had already said it had the final say about any political reforms in Hong Kong.
A government taskforce is to begin collecting proposals from the public about the future of the electoral system.
Taskforce head Donald Tsang, Hong Kong's number two, said the suggestions should not fall outside of China's decisions about the territory.
"It would not be very fruitful to advocate views which fall outside the decision of (China). I'm quite sure that people in general will not wish to advocate a proposal which will lead us nowhere," he said.
"We have to work within the Basic Law and what has been decided ... the consensus cannot exceed this parameters," he said.
Hong Kong's chief executive is currently chosen by an 800-member election committee handpicked by Beijing, and oversees a legislature in which only 30 of the 60 members are directly elected.
China's decision on April 26 to reject Hong Kong's demands for universal suffrage for the chief executive in 2007 and the entire legislature in 2008 was condemned internationally, including by the United States and Britain.
Chinese state media said afterwards Hong Kong legislators' attempts to formally condemn the rejection were unconstitutional. Democrats said this was an attempt to stifle free speech.
The public consultation is due to end on August 31.
Comments
Comments are closed.