Beijing not ready to lay down law on 2017 election

Beijing is unlikely to make any "decisive" move on Hong Kong's electoral reform because a consultation exercise is still ongoing in the city, a veteran Hong Kong deputy to the National People's Congress said yesterday.

Maria Tam Wai-chu, who also sits on Beijing's Basic Law Committee, was speaking in the capital, where the annual session of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference starts today. The NPC's annual session starts on Wednesday.

It is believed that state leaders will address local delegates on matters relating to the reforms due to be introduced in time for the 2017 chief executive election.

Tam, a member of the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong, refused to speculate on what might be said. However, she did say: "The central government won't take a decisive [position] because the public consultation hasn't finished. Otherwise, they would face harsh criticism."

The Hong Kong government's public consultation ends in early May.

Tam confirmed that leaders of the NPC will meet local deputies today "to say hello", while the Basic Law Committee chairman Li Fei will meet some deputies separately later.

Politburo Standing Committee members Zhang Dejiang and Yu Zhengsheng are also expected to address local deputies.