HK gets election ball rolling

Public consultation on new process will be sought for next five months

The premise that candidates in the future chief executive elections, to be conducted under universal suffrage, must "love the country and Hong Kong" is self-evident, said the chief secretary of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, who announced on Wednesday the launch of a five-month public consultation on electoral reform.

The Hong Kong SAR is ready for universal suffrage in the 2017 chief executive election, Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor said as she presented the consultation paper on the long-awaited process to the Legislative Council.

The stipulation that a chief executive candidate must love the country and Hong Kong is not in the 57-page document.

"It is obvious that the CE has to be a person who loves the country, loves Hong Kong and doesn't oppose the central government. So, we think the statement is unnecessary because it is thoroughly reflected in the spirit of the Basic Law," she said.

However, views will still be welcome, Lam said, adding that the government is confident the electorate, including members of the nominating committee, will have the wisdom to choose a patriot as the city's chief.

Following a decision made by the National People's Congress Standing Committee in 2007, the 2017 election could be the first in Hong Kong's history to choose its leader through universal suffrage, which is an ultimate goal as stated in Article 45 of the Basic Law.

The article also provides that nominees in the election must be chosen by "a broadly representative nominating committee in accordance with democratic procedures". The NPC Standing Committee decided that the committee should be formed "with reference to" that of the electoral committee.

Lam, quoting the NPC Standing Committee Deputy Secretary-General Li Fei, said formation of the two committees will have many similarities. The paper says, however, there will be "appropriate room for adjustment", and she said it was too early to tell how ample the room for leeway will be.

Wide-ranging options are also offered on expanding the voter base and "democratic procedures" for the nominating committee, as well as voting arrangements to elect the chief executive. The consultation paper also looks for solutions in an unlikely event that the elected leader fails to secure appointment by Beijing.

Local legislation requires the SAR's chief to give up any political party membership before taking office.