Legislature mulls report on Macao politics

Xinhua, February 28, 2012

The National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, China's top legislature, deliberated Monday on a report concerning methods for the selection of Macao chief executive and formation of the legislative council.

Chui Sai On, current Macao SAR Chief Executive. [File photo]

The incumbent chief executive submitted the report on whether it is necessary to amend the methods for forming the Legislative Assembly of the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) in 2013 and measures for selecting Macao SAR chief executive in 2014.

A statement released after the Monday meeting said that the interpretation of articles of the Macao SAR Basic Law, adopted by China's top legislature on Dec. 31, stated that amendments on selecting chief executives and forming the legislative council should be decided by the NPC Standing Committee considering Macao's reality.

The report, which reflects the majority opinion in Macao, proposes to maintain the current methods for selecting chief executives by an electoral committee, as well as uphold the current system of forming Macao's legislative council with members either directly and indirectly elected or commissioned.

The development of Macao's political system should be made within the framework of the Macao SAR Basic Law and in a manner that helps maintain the SAR's long-term stability, Li Fei, deputy director of the Commission for Legislative Affairs of the NPC Standing Committee, said.

The NPC Standing Committee members agreed that the Macao SAR Basic Law has played an important role in maintaining the SAR's long-term stability and prosperity, and that under the framework of the Basic Law, people in Macao are enjoying unprecedented democratic rights and a high degree of autonomy.

The NPC Standing Committee members also noted that any amendment to the methods in the Basic Law could influence implementation of the Basic Law and relation between the central government and the Macao SAR, and that any issue regarding such an amendment should be considered in a comprehensive manner in light of the SAR's stability and its people's interests.

The People's Republic of China has resumed the exercise of sovereignty over Macao since Dec. 20, 1999.