ENG-2006 — Page 38

10 Constitution and Administration

The electorate of functional constituencies which represent professional groups. is generally based on membership of professions with well-established and recognised qualifications, including statutory qualifications. Each individual member has one vote. The electorate of functional constituencies representing economic or social groups is generally made up of corporate members of major organisations representative of the relevant sectors. Each corporate member appoints an authorised representative to cast the vote on its behalf in an election.

To become a candidate in the functional constituencies, one must satisfy the same age and residential requirements as in a geographical constituency election, bet a registered elector on the Final Register, and also a registered elector of or have a substantial connection with the relevant functional constituency. To give due recognition to the significant contribution made by foreign nationals and the fact that Hong Kong is an international city and to meet the requirement of the relevant provision in the Basic Law, permanent residents of the HKSAR who are not of Chinese nationality or who have the right of abode in foreign countries may stand for election in 12 designated functional constituencies (functional constituencies No. 3, 6, 7, 10, 11, 14, 15, 16, 18, 20, 21, 23 as above).

Electoral System for the Chief Executive

In accordance with the Basic Law, the Chief Executive shall be elected by an Election Committee (EC). The EC is composed of 800 members from four sectors. (which are in turn composed of 38 subsectors), comprising:

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664 members of 35 subsectors who are returned through elections;

- 96 ex officio members who are Hong Kong deputies to the National People's Congress (NPC) and members of the Legislative Council (LegCo)) under the NPC subsector and the LegCo subsector; and

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40 members under the religious subsector who are nominated by six designated bodies.

The 2006 EC subsector elections were held on December 10, 2006. The new EC, with its term of office commencing on February 1, 2007, will elect the third term Chief Executive on March 25, 2007. The term of office of the third term Chief Executive will commence on July 1, 2007.

Implementing Universal Suffrage for the Chief Executive and the Legislative Council

The Basic Law provides that the ultimate aim is the selection of the Chief Executive by universal suffrage upon nomination by a broadly representative nominating committee in accordance with democratic procedures and also the election of all the members of the Legislative Council by universal suffrage. According to the Basic Law, this aim is to be attained in accordance with the principle of gradual and orderly progress and in the light of the actual situation in Hong Kong.

The Government is firmly committed to promoting constitutional development in accordance with the Basic Law. The Chief Executive has been personally leading the Commission on Strategic Development to study the formulation of a roadmap for