Stephen Lam Sui-lung said Hong Kong would be a starting point for discussion of a road map for universal suffrage. He appealed to all political parties to set aside their differences and work towards reaching consensus to pave the way for the implementation of universal suffrage in 2017 and 2020.

Regardless of the National People's Congress Standing Committee's decision, Ronny Tong Ka-wah of the Civic Party said drawing the public's attention to continuing the fight for universal suffrage in 2012 would be the most crucial task facing the pandemocrats.

He believed it was too early to give up the fight for implementing universal suffrage by that year.

About 20,000 people are expected to march from Victoria Park to the Central Government Offices on January 13. Participants have been asked to wear black or white.

The Civil Human Rights Front, which is organising the march, said Hong Kong people had been cheated out of their right to full democracy, and wanted the Basic Law - Hong Kong's mini-constitution - to be amended to remove any possible barriers to the introduction of one-person, one-vote in the city.

The pan-democracy camp has been campaigning heavily for full democracy in 2012, when elections for the chief executive and the Legislative Council will be held.

Front convenor Jackie Hung Ling-yu said: 'Beijing only tries to play with words to cheat Hong Kong people. There has not been any promise that we can have universal suffrage in 2017 [for the chief executive poll]. 'To Hong Kong people, our desire for universal suffrage in 2012 is very clear. There is no grey area,' Ms Hung said.

Another core member of the Front, legislator Lee Cheuk-yan, commenting on the low turnout for a march by the pan-democrats on Saturday, said: 'Hong Kong people might not have fully understood the implications of Beijing's ruling at that time. Now people should get to know more about the issue and I hope more people will join the protest.'

Veteran democrat Martin Lee Chu-ming said Beijing's decision was too obscure and urged Hong Kong people to read it carefully before embracing it.

'Can the decision bring the city to the destination of democracy? Maybe yes, maybe not,' he said at the end of a 24-hour hunger strike last night.

The former Democratic Party chairman said the Standing Committee had to give the details of its decision. 'How can we sign the lease without knowing the terms?'

The democrats will continue their hunger strike relay outside the Legco building until January 13.

Meanwhile, Maria Tam Wai-chu, a member of the Basic Law Committee and a National People's Congress local deputy, reiterated that every single word in the Standing Committee's decision was legally effective and any doubts cast over the decision might bring further delay to the implemention of universal suffrage in Hong Kong.