Xinhua: HKSAR and Central Government officials exchange views on Hong Kong constitutional development

Beijing Feb 10 (Xinhua) -- The Central Government paid great attention to the constitutional development of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, which was based on the "one country, two systems" principle and the Basic Law, relationship between the central government and Hong Kong, the interests of various Hong Kong social groups and Hong Kong's long-term prosperity and stability, Chinese mainland officials said.

Officials of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office under the State Council and the Legislative Affairs Commission of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress made the remarks in discussions Monday and Tuesday with the Constitutional Development Task Force from Hong Kong, led by Chief Secretary for Administration Donald Tsang.

One country was the premise of two systems, and it was the Hong Kong people with patriots as the main body that governed Hong Kong, officials said, noting the high-degree autonomy for Hong Kong meant self-governing under the authorization of the central government.

The political system of the HKSAR should meet with the legal status of Hong Kong as a regional administrative zone directly under the central government, and the detailed regulations for electing future SAR chief executives and the Legislative Council must accord with the Basic Law, officials said.

The central government considers this issue mainly from the perspective of maintaining Hong Kong's long-term prosperity and stability, officials said. The HKSAR had to consider the central government's opinion when discussing ways of electing SAR chief executives and the Legislative Council.

Mainland legal experts briefed the Task Force on the background of drafting relevant articles of the Basic Law, and aired opinions on some legal problems.

The Task Force briefed its work after the establishment in January 2004, and reflected opinions collected from social groups and individuals.

It is necessary and beneficial for the HKSAR Government and mainland departments and experts to exchange views on the Hong Kong constitutional development, which was important and very complicated, Tsang said, noting further exchanges should be enhanced and relevant issues should be studied and deliberated.