When Chief Executive Donald Tsang Yam-kuen campaigned for re-election in 2007, he sounded like a fervent supporter of democracy, vowing that, if elected, he would 'resolve the universal suffrage issue before 2012' and would not leave it to his successor.
Soon after his new term began, that July, the government published a green paper on political reform to solicit public views, including whether universal suffrage should be implemented in 2012, and the chief executive sent a report to Beijing on the outcome of that consultation.
That December, the National People's Congress Standing Committee said universal suffrage shall not be used in choosing either the chief executive or the Legislative Council in 2012. However, it decided that the chief executive could be chosen by universal suffrage in 2017 and that the entire legislature could subsequently also be elected by universal suffrage.
Tsang explained that this meant the entire legislature could be elected by universal suffrage in 2020. So, after years of struggle, Hong Kong finally had a timetable for implementing universal suffrage.
Since then, however, Tsang has acted as though his mission was accomplished and all he now had to do was prepare for the 2012 elections. But that is not true. Tsang promised to thoroughly resolve the universal suffrage issue and not leave it to be handled by his successor. He is doing precisely that.
In his 2007 policy address, delivered that October, Tsang said: 'Promoting democracy is a constitutional responsibility vested in the chief executive ... under the Basic Law. It is my responsibility to take Hong Kong towards universal suffrage.'
Brave words, but they are no longer being spoken today. Indeed, he has indicated that the public consultation later this year will be confined to the 2012 elections.