President Hu Jintao told Hong Kong Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa
that economic development should be the top priority for the
special administrative region (HKSAR).
They were speaking at breakfast on Sunday during the
Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Santiago, Chile.
The president said Hong Kong now enjoys social stability,
economic recovery and a consensus seeking development and harmony,
and he hoped it would continue to remain prosperous and stable and
put these above other concerns.
Tung thanked the central government for its support and said the
HKSAR will improve the livelihood of its people and help those in
need.
On the same day a government spokesperson in Hong Kong repeated
that a referendum on electoral reform will not be held.
He said that such a referendum would be inconsistent with Hong
Kong's Basic Law, and not conducive to building consensus on the
two electoral methods for 2007 and 2008.
He added that two requirements had been enshrined in the Basic
Law's tripartite amendment mechanism: "Firstly, that any changes
beyond 2007 must receive broad-based support within the Legislative
Council. Secondly, no changes will be possible without the support
of central government."
(People's Daily, Xinhua News Agency November 22,
2004)