Bleak Outlook For Democracy

May 2007 | Risk Summary

Local media reports have quoted a 'well-informed' Beijing source as saying that the earliest possible date China will allow universal suffrage in the territory is 2017. Chinese leaders were reportedly unsettled by the March 2007 Chief Executive election, in which incumbent Donald Tsang was challenged by pro-democracy legislator Alan Leong. While Leong posed no real threat to Tsang's re-election, his candidacy forced Tsang to publicly pledge to achieve a 'complete solution' on universal suffrage over the next five years. There are also questions over the funding of Leong's Civic Party, with Beijing concerned over any potential outside influence. Beijing officially

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