Chief Executive Donald Tsang Yam-kuen has submitted a report to the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, seeking its approval to amend the method for selecting the chief executive and for forming the Legislative Council. Mr Tsang's report was strongly denounced by the pan-democrats, who said they were disappointed by what he had put into - or rather had omitted from - it.
Newly elected legislator Anson Chan Fang On-sang, speaking for the pan-democrats, accused Mr Tsang of lacking commitment - for he had provided 'no proposal, no timetable and no road map [for the implementation of universal suffrage]'. The report, said her colleagues, contained 'distorted interpretations of public opinion' and 'misleading conclusions'.
Such criticism, while not at all surprising from the pan-democrats, is hardly justified. The chief executive's report is the first step necessary to start a new round of constitutional reform efforts. As Beijing decreed in 2004, the purpose of this report was not to advance specific reform proposals, but only to request confirmation that reforms should be introduced. Only after the Standing Committee has scrutinised the report and given the confirmation requested, will discussions of reform proposals be in order.
As for accuracy in reading public opinion, Mr Tsang stresses in his report that the Hong Kong community 'generally hopes that the universal suffrage timetable can be determined early, so we can set the course for Hong Kong's constitutional development'. He acknowledges that 'opinion polls have shown that implementing universal suffrage for the chief executive election first in 2012 is the expectation of more than half of the public'.
This expectation should be taken seriously, he notes, while pointing out that 'implementing universal suffrage for the chief executive election first, by no later than 2017, would stand a better chance of being accepted by the majority in our community'.
This is certainly a fair assessment of public opinion, taking into account the results of a wide range of opinion polls as well as views expressed by Legco members, district councils and organisations, and individuals from different sectors of society. Electing the chief executive by universal suffrage at the earliest possible date, namely in 2012, is no doubt the most desirable option for a majority of Hongkongers. But it's also true that many have shown a willingness to accept 2017 as a second choice, provided they are assured of the timetable.
The pan-democrats, who have intractably assumed the role of the opposition, will never admit that the government is more sensitive and responsive to public opinion than they are. Accusing the chief executive of drawing misleading conclusions from public consultations, they want Mr Tsang to arrange a meeting for them with the central government so that they can 'express the true view of the public'. This demand sounds ludicrous, for what 'true view of the public' do these pan-democrat politicians have to tell Beijing officials about, face to face, that they don't trumpet almost every day?