Beijing has for the first time offered a definition of what universal suffrage will mean for Hong Kong - 'the equal right of election of all individuals'. It left pan-democrats even more worried than they were already.
The statement from Qiao Xiaoyang , deputy secretary general of the National People's Congress Standing Committee, came as the government confirmed that its proposals for 2012 electoral reforms would go to a vote in the Legislative Council on June 23, where democrats say it faces defeat unless key concessions are made.
Pan-democrats said Qiao's statement only offered the right to vote rather than to stand and nominate others to stand in an election, and paved the way for keeping Legislative Council functional constituencies indefinitely. It also renewed their fears that a mechanism would be created to weed out, in the name of 'democratic procedure', chief executive candidates not favoured by Beijing.
Beijing also ruled out demands by moderate democrats to allow everyone a vote for the six seats proposed for Legco's district councils functional constituency in exchange for their backing for the reform plans.
Democratic Party chairman Albert Ho Chun-yan said he was now even more worried than before hearing Qiao's words. Civic Party leader Audrey Eu Yuet-mee said the statement reinforced the camp's concerns. 'The government keeps saying it wants us to move forward, but moving without looking means we are walking into a trap.'
At a press conference in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing hours after the Hong Kong government tabled its proposals in Legco, Qiao said he had noted Hongkongers' wish for Beijing to make clear the definition of universal suffrage for the chief executive election in 2017 and the legislature in 2020.