Hong Kong plans to ask Beijing to rule on political dispute

The government will ask Beijing to issue a ruling on Hong Kong's constitution to resolve a dispute over whether the territory's next leader should serve for two years or five, a newspaper reported yesterday.

Critics have voiced fears that such a move would threaten Hong Kong's cherished rule of law and high degree of autonomy -- guaranteed when the former British colony returned to Chinese rule in 1997.

The dispute erupted earlier this month when Hong Kong's leader, Tung Chee-hwa (董建華), resigned. The government announced that his successor -- due to be elected July 10 -- would finish the two years remaining on his term.

But legal experts and pro-democracy lawmakers say the constitution clearly states that any elected chief executive would serve a five-year term. Some lawmakers said earlier that they were considering taking the case to Hong Kong's courts.

To resolve the dispute, Secretary for Justice Elsie Leung (梁愛詩) privately told pro-Beijing politicians Tuesday that the government will seek an interpretation of the constitution from China's top legislative panel, the National People's Congress Standing Committee, the South China Morning Post reported.

"The government is of the view that an interpretation of the Basic Law can ensure the chief executive election takes place as scheduled and avoid any possible constitutional crisis caused by legal challenges to the term of the next chief executive," the newspaper quoted an unidentified source close to the government as saying.

But officials have not yet decided when to seek Beijing's ruling on the territory's constitution, according to the report.

A spokeswoman at Leung's office, Patricia Mok, said the report was speculative and would not comment on it.

Ma Lik (馬力), leader of Hong Kong's top pro-Beijing political party, said Leung has not discussed the issue with him, but that he supports the government's move to seek Beijing's ruling to end the dispute.