NPC decides on nominating committee for HKSAR chief executive selection

BEIJING - The National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee adopted a decision Sunday that when the selection of the Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) is implemented by the method of universal suffrage, a broadly representative nominating committee shall be formed.

Starting from 2017, the selection of the HKSAR Chief Executive may be implemented by the method of universal suffrage, according to the decision passed at the bi-monthly session of the NPC Standing Committee.

The document was entitled "Decision of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress on Issues Relating to the Selection of the Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region by Universal Suffrage and on the Method for Forming the Legislative Council of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region in the Year 2016."

The decision stipulated that provisions for the number of members, composition and formation method of the nominating committee shall be made in accordance with the number of members, composition and formation method of the Election Committee for the Fourth Chief Executive.

"The nominating committee shall nominate two to three candidates for the office of Chief Executive in accordance with democratic procedure," the decision says. "Each candidate must have the endorsement of more than half of all the members of the nominating committee."

All eligible electors of the region have the rights to vote in the election of the Chief Executive and elect one of the candidates for the office of the Chief Executive, according to the decision.

The Chief Executive-elect, after being selected through universal suffrage, will have to be appointed by the Central People's Government, the decision rules.