Needless fuss over HK reform

The Hong Kong government issued two crucial reports on universal suffrage in 2017 on Tuesday. Chief Secretary Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor submitted one report to the House Committee of the Legislative Council and Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying submitted the other to the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, taking the first step in the yearlong reform process.

Hong Kong was reunified with the motherland 17 years ago, and since then four elections have been held for Hong Kong Special Administrative Region's chief executive under the guidance of Hong Kong Basic Law. Hong Kong's first chief executive was chosen by a selection committee while the second, third and fourth were chosen by the Election Committee, and all of them were eventually appointed by the central government. Until now, three people have held the chief executive's post: Tung Chee-Hwa, Donald Tsang Yam-Kuen and Leung Chun-ying.

Article 45 of the Hong Kong Basic Law stipulates: "The chief executive of the Hong Kong SAR shall be selected by election or through consultations held locally and be appointed by the central people's government.