HK at crossroads to future development: LegCo president

President of Hong Kong's Legislative Council (LegCo) Tsang Yok-sing has said that the Special Administrative Region is now at the crossroads to its future development.

Tsang, who has served as chief of the legislative body since October 2008, made the remarks in an exclusive interview with Xinhua on Monday. He said nobody in Hong Kong has foreseen the Occupy would evolve into the current state. "The longer it lasts, the more dangerous it could be," he added.

Tsang noted that although rule of law is one of Hong Kong's core values and also the cornerstone of its society, some people in Hong Kong take it for granted without thinking if someone's behavior is in line with the principle.

Regarding the election of the region's next chief executive in 2017, Tsang said universal suffrage should be realized by making every effort possible so that Hong Kong could have a breakthrough of governance.

He said, "The Occupy movement has postponed the opportunity for all circles to discuss Hong Kong's constitutional reform."

"Hong Kong is at the crossroads, and how we take the next step is vital," Tsang said, adding that the impact on Hong Kong would be unimaginable if the related reform plan could not be approved by the Legislative Council.