'Two votes' has to be better than no progress

Beijing may derail a potential solution to the dilemma of functional constituencies - possibly unintentionally. Pan-democrats have been calling for the trade-based seats to be scrapped before 2020, when universal suffrage elections for the entire legislature are meant to be held. But Beijing seems to favour their preservation, saying they will help Hong Kong's economic development.

Chief Executive Donald Tsang Yam-kuen's administration is caught between the pan-democrats' demand and Beijing's position. That is why senior officials, from the chief executive down, say that while the trade-based seats as currently constituted are incompatible with universal suffrage, they can be made compatible.

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