I suggest we work on all these elements and reach the final destination of universal suffrage as quickly as possible.

The hard work over the past two years, of intensive and widespread consultation and of putting the proposals together, will be lost. Worse, the mutual trust we have taken pains to build between the central government and ourselves, the trust we need to take our democratization forward, will dissipate.

We and our mainland compatriots are of the same blood. We share a common interest and destiny. We ride on the same boat.

I understand it is bad politics to cut spending or raise taxes. So you pray and pray that this is not dangerous, and as long as nothing happens in your term, it's okay.

There is little scope for me to change [the proposals]. But I hope that within what little scope I have, I will see what I can do to perfect the package. But it will be of limited scale and it will not affect the timetable for resolution of this matter in the Legislative Council [on December 21]. Nor will it itself produce quickly a timetable that is not achievable.

In order to reach universal suffrage, we have to build trust.