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Following is the transcript (English portion) of the media session by the Chief Executive, Mr Donald Tsang, during his duty visit to Beijing today (December 28):
Reporter: Can I ask you to interpret Premier Wen saying that Hong Kong has deep-rooted conflicts and problems and how would you like to resolve them?
Chief Executive: As I understand the sentence, it falls into two parts. The first part is deep rooted problem that we have not completed, from the Mainland experts﷿ points of view, our economic restructuring. And there are also the questions of the global competition which Hong Kong would want to be on the forefront. We see problems over our high wages, and our high land prices, high rental. This is what he means.
Reporter: Many people in Hong Kong demand a timetable of direct election for the position of Chief Executive and all legislators in Hong Kong. Did you relay their wishes to the Chinese leadership?
Chief Executive: Hong Kong is a very vocal and a very transparent community. All wishes made are relayed almost promptly by our media, and then received almost promptly by our leaders. During my sessions with the Premier, and particularly with the President, I explained clearly the backdrop to the discussion on the constitutional development package that the proposal we made to the legislators was defeated because of a number of reasons: a) because of a lack of timetable for universal suffrage and b) some members were not satisfied with the way in which we were phasing out our appointed membership in the District Councils. We also said that there were suggestions for universal suffrage specifically in the year 2012. All these things were conveyed correctly and fully to the President and to the Central Government on this occasion.
Reporter: Did you manage to raise the Ching Cheong's case with the authorities?
Chief Executive: I have. I understand that the matter is being actively looked into and the case will be referred to the prosecution department before January 6.
(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.)
Ends/Wednesday, December 28, 2005
Issued at HKT 23:37
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