Foreign governments should respect that Hong Kong's constitutional development is an internal affair, the Government said today in response to the US Department of State's Country Reports on Human Rights Practices 2013.
The statement said it is the common aspiration of the Central People's Government, the Hong Kong Government and Hong Kong people to successfully implement universal suffrage for the Chief Executive election in 2017.
A five-month public consultation exercise will run until May 3, to collect views and suggestions on the issue from the community.
The Government also attaches great importance to Hong Kong's freedoms of the press and speech, which are enshrined in the Basic Law.
It said these are major elements in sustaining Hong Kong's continuous development and maintaining its status as an international metropolis, and the Government will continue to strive to safeguard these vital core values.
