CRI听力:Hong Kong at Reform Crossroads

Officials with the Chinese central authority have held a briefing in Hong Kong on the Special Administrative Region's political reform, one day after Beijing made a decision on the election method in choosing the city's next leader in 2017.

CRI's Hong Kong correspondent Li Jing has the story.

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According to the decision by China's top legislature, a broadly representative nominating committee shall be formed to choose candidates for the election.

From there, two or three candidates will be chosen to contest the elections for Chief Executive in Hong Kong after obtaining support from at least half of the nominating committee.

The NPC decision goes on to say that all eligible electors in Hong Kong will then have the right to vote for any of the candidates.

The Chief Executive-elect then will have to be approved by the central government in Beijing.

Li Fei, deputy secretary-general of the National People's Congress Standing Committee, explains why Beijing made such a decision.

"On the one hand, it guarantees genuine choice for voters and ensures competition in the election. On the other, it prevents the election from becoming too complicated and costly."

Li Fei also says the expectation that potential candidates obtain the support of more than half of the nominating committee members is justified under Hong Kong Basic Law.

Zhang Rongshun, deputy-director of the NPC Standing Committee's legislative affairs commission, says the nominating committee is "a great political invention full of political wisdom."

"Of course we should minimize risk in order to maintain the long-term prosperity of Hong Kong. We hope the broadly representative nominating committee can nominate candidates who are patriotic and can be trusted by the central government."

At the same time, Deputy Director of the State Council's Hong Kong and Macau office Feng Wei says the central government has made decisions in the best interests of the city in the long run.

"Hong Kong is at a crossroad on reform. All sectors should think twice and make the right choice, abandon prejudice and special interests to forge consensus."

Li Fei also notes that the NPC has decided that "universal suffrage can be implemented after 2017" and Hong Kong's Legislative Council now holds the key to its implementation.

If the reform plan is vetoed, the election method will remain unchanged from that of 2012. In that case, reform for the 2022 election would depend on whether a consensus can be reached.

For CRI, this is Li Jing in Hong Kong.