China says reform rejection against will of HK people
Posted on: Wednesday, 21 December 2005, 21:09 CST
BEIJING (Reuters) - China on Thursday criticized Hong Kong pro-democracy lawmakers for blocking a controversial election reform package, saying it was unwilling to see a result that ran counter to public opinion.
The pro-democracy lawmakers voted down the controversial election reform package on Wednesday, dealing a blow to the city's leader, Donald Tsang, who argued that the package was a major step toward democracy.
A Chinese cabinet office spokesman said China and Hong Kong's leaders and the public were "unwilling to see the result as which is not in line with the mainstream of the public opinions in Hong Kong," Xinhua news agency reported.
China fully agreed with Tsang's statements and appreciated the special administrative government's efforts to promote reform, Xinhua quoted the spokesman as saying.
The package was presented to the 60-member legislature in two parts -- a motion to expand the hand-picked committee that selects Hong Kong's chief executive, and another that would have added 10 seats to the legislature, five directly elected.
But the democratic camp had vowed to vote against it because it did not set out a timetable for when the former British colony would realize universal suffrage.
Source: REUTERS
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