When Donald Tsang Yam-kuen was re-elected as chief executive, he did so on a promise that he would resolve the issue of political reform in Hong Kong.
But in recent months, as his administration promoted its reform proposal, both central and Hong Kong government officials have indicated that the administration does not have the authority to tackle political development in the special administrative region beyond 2012.
When did the administration lose that authority? Both the central government and Tsang owe the Hong Kong people an explanation.
Under the Basic Law, an amendment on the election of the chief executive after 2007 requires the endorsement of a two-thirds majority of the Legislative Council, the consent of the chief executive, and the approval of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress. The same requirement applies for an amendment on electing legislators.
The Basic Law does not say that the Hong Kong government must first seek the authorisation of the Standing Committee before it can tackle the reform road map and its timetable beyond the government's current term.
When the Tsang administration announced its political reform package, Maria Tam Wai-chu, a Hong Kong member of the Basic Law Committee under the National People's Congress, said in an RTHK television talk show that 'universal and equal representation' applied to the electoral right of the Hong Kong people as defined by Beijing, and not based on any international human rights document.