The chief executive of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) to be elected by universal suffrage in 2017 must love the country and Hong Kong, the visiting Chairman of the HKSAR Basic Law Committee Li Fei said in Hong Kong Friday.

Addressing at a luncheon hosted by the Chief Secretary for Administration, Carrie Lam, Li said the central government is determined about the universal suffrage in the 2017 chief executive election, adding that the universal suffrage must be in line with the HKSAR Basic Law as well as the decision of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC).

Li said according to the HKSAR Basic Law, the selection of the chief executive by universal suffrage should be nominated by a broadly representative nominating committee. Based on the decision of the Standing Committee of NPC in December 2007, the nominating committee can be organized referring to the current election committee.

He explained that the special method is to ensure balanced involvement, enabling difference social classes and circles to have the floor in nominating the candidates for chief executive.

Li noted that anyone who meets the requirement of Article 44 of the HKSAR Basic Law can be nominated. There are no unreasonable limitations on the right to be nominated and to elect.

Article 44 specifies that the chief executive shall be a Chinese citizen of not less than 40 years of age who is a permanent resident of the Region with no right of abode in any foreign country and has ordinarily resided in Hong Kong for a continuous period of not less than 20 years.

According to Li, the task of the nominating committee is to nominate a number of chief executive candidates in accordance with democratic procedures for the public to vote. With popularity and equality, any eligible voter can cast their vote.

Li emphasized that as a special administrative region of China, Hong Kong is directly under the central government. When elected, the chief executive shall be appointed by the central government and is responsible to the central government and the HKSAR government. That is why the chief executive must love the country and Hong Kong. In another term, people who opposes to the central government can not be the chief executive.

Li Fei, chairman of the HKSAR Basic Law Committee under the Standing Committee of NPC, together with another official, arrived in Hong Kong on Thursday. They had met Chief Executive Leung Chun- ying, the Secretary for Justice Rimsky Yuen and other officials of the Department of Justice.

Li and Zhang will also meet with the Hong Kong Bar Association and the Law Society of Hong Kong during their visit.