China?s top parliamentarians have ruled that Hong Kong will not have direct elections for its leader in 2007. Hong Kong?s pro-democracy campaigners want the next leader to be elected, not appointed by Beijing.

But a Hong Kong deputy in Beijing said China?s most powerful legislative panel decided any political reforms will have to be introduced gradually. The Chinese legislators had acted ?according to Hong Kong?s actual situation,? said Tsang Hin-chi.

They also ruled out the possibility of direct elections for all Hong Kong legislators in 2008. One political activist, Leung Kwok-hung, told that with this ruling the Chinese National People?s Congress Standing Committee was ?twisting the Hong Kong public?s opinion?.

Opposition Hong Kong legislator Fred Li accused Beijing of ?dictating Hong Kong policy? without regard to public opinion. At the moment Hong Kong residents now have no say in choosing their leader and they pick only some legislators.

Hong Kong?s mini-constitution ? known as the Basic Law ? sets out full democracy as an eventual goal but sets out no timetable for this to be achieved. Beijing recently revised the Basic Law giving China full control over the extent and timing of any future electoral reform. This effectively means that China can veto any moves to give Hong Kong more democracy, such as direct elections for its chief executive. Hong Kong?s current Chief Executive, Tung Chee-hwa, supports Beijing?s position.

Democracy campaigners argue that Mr Tung is undermining Hong Kong?s ?high degree of autonomy?, as promised under a system that became known as ?one country, two systems? when Hong Kong was returned to China in 1997.