Lawmakers in Hong Kong will vote today on a toned-down motion criticizing China's decision to delay full democracy in the territory, after the original version was rejected following criticism from local and Beijing authorities, an official said yesterday.
The revised, nonbinding motion was approved for debate late Monday by Legislative Council President Rita Fan (范徐麗泰), legislature spokesman Simon Wong said. Fan had rejected the original draft because it accused Beijing's top legislative body of violating its promise to allow significant autonomy in this former British colony, which was returned to China in 1997.
Fan approved the revised version after opposition legislators agreed to drop explicit criticism of the Chinese legislature. It will be voted on today.
Hong Kongers had hoped to directly elect their next leader in 2007 and all lawmakers in 2008, but the Standing Committee of China's National People's Congress ruled that out, saying direct elections could cause social or economic instability in the territory.
Fan agreed to leave in an expression of "regret about and dissatisfaction with" the ruling, Wong said.
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