Former Hong Kong leader Tung Chee-hwa says 2017 vote will be ‘real’ democracy
Beijing's framework for first one man, one vote election offers 'real and substantial' reform, says former chief executive in call for political unity
- Tung says Hong Kong will usher in a new chapter in history in 2017 written by the people of Hong Kong.
- Welcomes NPC framework, says election method for chief executive could change after 2017
- “I appeal to people of all political stripes to come together and turn negative sentiments into positive energy”
Hong Kong's first chief executive Tung Chee-hwa has called on Hongkongers of "all political stripes" to cast aside their differences and work together to achieve universal suffrage.
The former shipping magnate said it would be democracy "real and substantial" for five million voters in the city to pick their leader in 2017, a claim disputed by critics who say the tougher-than-expected framework set by Beijing will deprive voters of a genuine choice of candidates.
In his first press conference since stepping down as chief executive in March 2005, Tung said it would be a "glittering achievement" for the chief executive to be elected by "one man, one vote" in 2017, 20 years after he was chosen as the city's first leader by a 400-strong selection committee.
"Between 1997 and 2017 - a short span of just 20 years - Hong Kong would have moved from having Britain parachute a governor into Hong Kong to having five million voters choosing their own leader," he said. "We will be ushering Hong Kong into a new chapter in history.
If we come to a standstill this time, I don’t know when we can move forward again
"If we come to a standstill [on constitutional development] this time, I don't know when we can move forward again. That's why I came out today to make the appeal."
His rare comments on Hong Kong's affairs were widely seen as part of Beijing's publicity campaign to defend the decision by the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress on political reform.