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In response to press enquiries on Mrs Anson Chan's remarks at the Foreign Correspondents' Club luncheon yesterday that the Central Authorities have "moved the goalposts" on the procedures for amending Annex I to the Basic Law regarding the Chief Executive election in 2017, a spokesman for the Government pointed out today (July 3) that Mrs Chan had actually misquoted the relevant provision of the Basic Law.
The government spokesman referred to paragraph 7 of Annex I to the Basic Law, which clearly states that, "If there is a need to amend the method for selecting the Chief Executives for the terms subsequent to the year 2007, such amendments must be made with the endorsement of a two-thirds majority of all the members of the Legislative Council and the consent of the Chief Executive, and they shall be reported to the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress for approval." This provision has not been changed since 1990.
"It is regrettable that Mrs Chan has based her allegation against the Central Authorities on the basis of her wrong recollection of what the Basic Law actually says," said the spokesman.
Ends/Thursday, July 3, 2014
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