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Following is the transcript of remarks by the Chief Executive, Mr C Y Leung, at a media session in Beijing today (March 7):
Reporter: Mr Leung, the Central Government has laid down its bottom line for the political reform in Hong Kong that universal suffrage cannot be achieved in one step. Is that the line that Hong Kong Government is going to take as well? And do you think with this new set of context, a consensus is going to be even more difficult to be reached in future? And, also, could you allay people's fear about Hong Kong people maybe losing its "high degree of autonomy" after this key phrase is omitted from Premier Li Keqiang's work report?
Chief Executive: The quick answer to both of your questions is the Basic Law. The constitutional context for political reform in Hong Kong and the high degree of autonomy enjoyed by Hong Kong people ruling Hong Kong have both been enshrined in the Basic Law, and the Basic Law was promulgated in 1990.
Reporter: How about consensus?
Chief Executive: Well, we need to work together on consensus. I think it is a consensus in Hong Kong that it is no easy task to get two-thirds super-majority amongst LegCo members to get the Chief Executive to consent and to get the approval of the National People's Congress Standing Committee, but we need to work on the consensus to deliver universal suffrage in Hong Kong in 2017.
(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.)
Ends/Friday, March 7, 2014
Issued at HKT 16:48
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