Monday, October 25, 2004
China rejects "referendum" proposal in Hong Kong
Press Trust of India Beijing, October 25
China has rejected pleas of Hong Kong's pro-democracy legislators for a referendum on whether local residents should be granted full democracy to choose their leader from 2007.
The rebuff to the pro-democracy lawmakers came in a statement carried by the official Xinhua news agency late on Sunday night in which an unnamed senior official stated that Beijing will not allow violations of the Basic Law, Hong Kong's mini constitution after the former British colony was handed over to China in July, 1997.
The official from the Liaison Office of the Chinese government in Hong Kong Special Administrative Region said Hong Kong's constitutional development must be advanced in accordance with the Basic Law.
The handling of constitutional development affairs must be according to the Basic Law and no violations will be allowed, he said.
The official's reaction came in response to Hong Kong legislator Fernando Cheung's proposal for holding a "referendum" on the selection of the Chief Executive in 2007 and formation of the Legislative Council in 2008.
Hong Kong chief secretary for administration Donald Tsang on October 19 had declared that the HKSAR government will not conduct a referendum on the matter of constitutional development as it was not 'practical'. The official said the Liaison Office agrees with the HKSAR government's decision and the remarks. In April, China's Parliament ruled out direct elections in Hong Kong any time soon.
© HT Media Ltd. 2004.