HONG KONG, June 24 (Reuters) - Hong Kong's legislature on Thursday approved part of a political reform package on electing public officials, a step pro-democracy advocates hope will lead eventually to universal suffrage in 2017 as promised by Beijing.
But a decision on the second half of the package, to set aside a number of seats in the legislature to be elected by popular vote, was put off until Friday.
Since Hong Kong reverted to Chinese rule in 1997, local politicians have struggled with Beijing to bring about full democracy as allowed for in its mini-constitution, the Basic Law.
After protracted debate, lawmakers approved by 46 votes to 13 a new method for choosing Hong Kong’s chief executive in 2012 — through a 1,200-member election committee, stacked with Beijing and pro-establishment loyalists.
Most members of Hong Kong’s main opposition group, the Democratic Party, voted in favour despite splits in the ranks of democracy advocates over the limited nature of reforms.
Still to be debated is a proposal to elect the entire legislature in a slightly more democratic manner in 2012 — with 40 of the 70 seats to be chosen by popular vote.
The rest are to be decided by special interest groups, long dominated by pro-establishment and pro-Beijing forces. More radical democracy advocates, backed by hundreds of protesters outside the building, called for far more liberal reforms.
In 2007, after sustained pressure, Beijing finally laid out a timetable for full democracy in Hong Kong, saying universal suffrage would be allowed in 2017 at the earliest.
Opponents of the reform package accuse the Democratic Party of abandoning its principles and say the legislation offers no guarantees that Beijing will allow universal suffrage in 2017.
