HK chief executive highlights social concerns in 2015 policy address

Hong Kong Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying on Wednesday delivered his policy address for the year of 2015 at Hong Kong's Legislative Council. The 65-page policy address highlighted social concerns including constitutional development, housing and land as well as youth education and development.

Leung underlined rule of law in the policy address titled " Uphold the rule of law. Seize the opportunities. Make the right choices." It is his third policy address since he was sworn in on July 1, 2012.

CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

The chief executive said that the substantive power to decide on constitutional development rests with the central authorities.

Leung said the slogan of "Hong Kong shall resolve Hong Kong's problems" does not conform with constitutional arrangements.

He said that the Basic Law clearly stipulates that the power to nominate candidates of the chief executive election rests only with the nominating committee.

"Over the past year, the central authorities and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Government have repeatedly pointed out that 'civic nomination' does not comply with the Basic Law," he noted.

Leung called on Hong Kong people to make good use of the second round public consultation on the method for selecting the chief executive by universal suffrage.

The consultation started last Wednesday.

"By so doing, 5 million eligible electors in Hong Kong can select the chief executive through 'one person, one vote' in 2017, " Leung said.

"This is a big step forward for Hong Kong's democratic development," he said.

The chief executive stressed that Hong Kong people have to be wary of suggestions that deviate from the Basic Law. Hong Kong's autonomy under "One Country, Two Systems" is a high degree of autonomy, not an absolute autonomy. It is a high degree of autonomy specifically provided for in the Basic Law, not one based on any arbitrary interpretation.