Standing still betrays the cause of democracy

The 'de facto referendum' is over without having achieved anything tangible in terms of bringing full democracy to Hong Kong earlier than scheduled.

In fact, very strangely, pan-democrats generally don't seem all that anxious to lock in universal suffrage at the earliest possible date, which is 2017. They continue to threaten to veto Chief Executive Donald Tsang Yam-kuen's political reform package, apparently viewing with equanimity the likelihood that this will result in a delay of at least five years for universal suffrage.

This is weird. Hong Kong has been ready for democracy for decades, and hundreds of thousands have marched for many years to bring it about. The British never gave Hong Kong universal suffrage and Beijing was reluctant, ruling it out for the 2007-08 elections and again for 2012.

So when Beijing promised that the chief executive could be elected by universal suffrage in 2017, it was a very big deal indeed. But instead of hailing this triumph and working to ensure there is no slippage, the pan-democrats through their actions are putting at risk something that so many of us have worked long and hard to achieve. If Tsang's political reforms are vetoed this year - as they were in 2005 - it will mean a decade without electoral progress. It is hard to see how standing still serves the cause of democracy.

Moreover, since the Basic Law states that universal suffrage is to be achieved 'in accordance with the principle of gradual and orderly progress', there is a real danger that the veto may result in universal suffrage elections not being held in 2017 - on the grounds that they would violate the principle of gradual and orderly progress.

Remember, it is Hong Kong, not Beijing, which has clamoured for the implementation of universal suffrage. So, if such elections are not held in 2017, it will be Hong Kong's loss, not Beijing's. With a timetable, every effort should be made to ensure Beijing has no excuse to wiggle out of its commitment.