Hong Kong to start consultations on constitutional reforms

Speaking at the Executive Council meeting earlier in the day, Leung called on people to express their views on constitutional development but stay within the framework set out in the Basic Law and the relevant decisions of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, Xinhua reported.

The Hong Kong government would use different ways to collect people's opinions during the consultation, he said, hoping that a consensus could be reached in a legal, rational and pragmatic manner.

Leung noted that the first round of consultation had already laid out the foundations for the second phase which should be more focused and completed in a shorter time.

The chief executive made it clear that Hong Kong was a law abiding city that would not tolerate illegal acts or attempts to pressure the Hong Kong government or the central government to accept any proposal that was not in accordance with the Basic Law.