Hong Kong Takes a Step Toward Direct Elections

"Hong Kong Takes a Step Toward Direct Elections | AboutHK.Com - More Information About HK"

JONATHAN CHENG The Hong Kong government proposed a package of constitutional changes that it called a "crucial step" toward eventually holding direct elections, but the proposal drew immediate criticism from prodemocratic lawmakers who called it a stall tactic. The plan would add 10 seats to Hong Kong's 60-seat legislature and 400 members to the 800- member election committee that picks the city's top leader now. Before China took control of this former British colony in 1997, Beijing promised direct elections for Hong Kong's legislature and top leader, known as the chief executive, but didn't provide a timetable. More recently, Beijing has suggested that direct elections for the chief executive could take place in 2017, while full direct elections for the legislature could happen in 2020. The issue of how to transition toward direct elections is contentious. Many people in Hong Kong remain divided over how hard to push for greater democracy and to test the limits of its autonomy from Beijing. In 2005, prodemocratic lawmakers defeated a similar plan by the government that would have incrementally increased the number of lawmakers and election-committee members, arguing it didn't significantly change the political status quo. Donald Tsang, Hong Kong's chief executive, and his deputy, Henry Tang, described the latest proposal as a chance for the city's political system to "move forward" toward universal suffrage, and called for public comments during a three-month consultation. Mr. Tsang also called on his opponents to "abandon impractical demands," a reference to prodemocratic lawmakers' calls for direct elections in 2012. Most of the new legislative and electoral seats would go to current neighborhood-level district councilors, Mr. Tang said. Half of the new legislative seats would be directly elected. Mr. Tang said the administration doesn't have the power to make promises for any electoral arrangements beyond 2012, but said Beijing was sincere about its pledge to implement direct elections in 2017. Margaret Ng, a veteran lawmaker with the prodemocratic Civic Party, said the plan offered no real change. "It retains all the most unfair features of the current system, namely the big commerce and developer interests," she said. Currently, 30 legislative seats are allotted to members of certain business and sectoral interests. Write to Jonathan Cheng at jonathan.cheng@wsj.com This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it