Of mice and men Micky and Minnie perform with the Hong Kong pop singer Hacken Lee (in red) at an opening ceremony for the Disneyland's Sparkling Christmas Winter Wonderland yesterday. China Daily

HONG KONG: The Central Government's Liaison Office in Hong Kong believes that the 2012 electoral reform plan proposed by the SAR government has taken a big step forward on the road toward increasing elements of democratization and advancing Hong Kong's democratic development in a gradual and orderly manner, a spokesman for the Liaison Office told Xinhua yesterday.

The SAR government's consultation paper comprehensively summarized the views of the community and the proposed plans fully considered the actual situation in Hong Kong, said the spokesman.

Chief Executive Donald Tsang and the SAR government have, said the spokesman, made strenuous efforts to advance Hong Kong's democratic development in recent years. The government listened to and collected the views of all political groups, associations and the community through the Commission on Strategic Development and various channels, the spokesman added.

The current government's decision not to deal with the issue of universal suffrage model is in line with the Basic Law and relevant provisions of the National People's Congress Standing Committee (NPCSC) decision, the spokesman also said.

In December 2007, the NPCSC decided that universal suffrage shall not apply to the 2012 Chief Executive and Legislative Council elections. It also ruled that the 50-50 ratio between Legislative Council members returned by functional constituencies and geographical constituencies shall remain unchanged.

In this context, the two electoral methods for the 2012 elections can be appropriately amended in line with the Basic Law and the principle of gradual and orderly progress.

It also ruled that the Chief Executive can be elected by universal suffrage in 2017, and after that, the Legislative Council can be elected by universal suffrage.

The spokesman emphasized that the Central Government has always supported Hong Kong SAR in advancing democratic development in accordance with the Basic Law.

Also yesterday, some patriotic societies in Hong Kong expressed their support of the government's proposed reform plans.

Tso Wung-wai, a Hong Kong NPC deputy, believes the plans were developed in line with the long-term interests of Hong Kong people. It is a progress that some additional members of the Legislative Council will come from elected District Council members, he said.

Tso indicated the plans reflected a progressive advancement of democracy. Prosperity and stability are the most important for Hong Kong at its current stage of development, he said.

He expressed some concern about the abridged election right of appointed District Council members, on the grounds that the change might influence the appointment of qualified personnel, he said.

Cheung Chi-kong, executive director of One Country Two Systems Research Institute, also said the plans have made great progress. "The elements of democratization are greater than before," he said. He predicted the proposal would be supported by over 50 percent of Hong Kong people.

(HK Edition 11/19/2009 page1)