27 pan-democrat lawmakers united in pledge to veto political reforms

All 27 pan-democratic lawmakers have united in a pledge to veto any government proposal about the overhaul of the chief executive election that is based on stringent criteria laid down by Beijing last year.

The pan-democratic camp issued its joint statement yesterday after the central government, through top officials including legislative boss Zhang Dejiang, voiced a tougher stance than ever on Hong Kong's political reform during annual meetings of the national legislature that began last week.

"Now that the National People's Congress is in session, I really hope Hong Kong deputies ... will pluck up the courage and tell Beijing that people want universal suffrage with a genuine choice," Democratic Party chairwoman Emily Lau Wai-hing said.

In their statement, the pan-democrats said the framework handed down in August by the National People's Congress Standing Committee violated provisions on the right to vote and equality enshrined in the Basic Law. The committee had made an unreasonable and unconstitutional decision and should "alter or annul" it.

That decision stipulates a 1,200-strong nominating committee has the power to pick hopefuls for the election in 2017, and that only those who get support from more than half of the committee will move on to the one man, one vote public ballot.

The Hong Kong government will present its final reform proposal next month. It needs at least four pan-democratic votes to get the package past a Legislative Council vote in July.

Civic Party lawmaker Ronny Tong Ka-wah said Hong Kong officials had told him that mainland officials, such as the NPC's Basic Law committee chairman Li Fei, might visit next month for a Basic Law anniversary event. Tong said he hoped Beijing and pan-democrats could talk.