Overhaul Agreed, Beijing Now Seeks 'public Opinion'

Beijing officials are to start seeking "public opinion" on the electoral overhaul planned for Hong Kong, even though the move has already been rubber-stamped by the National People's Congress (NPC).

On March 11, 2,895 members of the NPC voted in favour of a plan to allow the election committee that chooses the chief executive to nominate and select members of Legco, with no opposing votes and just one abstention.

Although there has been no public consultation on the drastic changes planned, Beijing has insisted that residents of the SAR support the move.

On Monday, Xinhua New Agency reported that the public's views will now be sought on the matter by Beijing's liaison office, the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office (HKMAO), and the legislative affairs commission of the NPC Standing Committee.

They will "collect advice and suggestions from the HKSAR government and representatives of different sectors in Hong Kong by various forms including symposiums and interviews from Monday to Wednesday," Xinhua said.

Executive councillors, lawmakers and representatives from the legal, industrial, commercial, financial, IT and labour sectors were invited to attend a seminar on the plans on Monday at the Convention and Exhibition Centre.