Beijing, March 2 (IANS): China's stance on constitutional reform in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) is "clear and consistent," a spokesman for the Chinese political advisory body said on Monday.

The central government supports Hong Kong in achieving universal suffrage in the election of the HKSAR chief executive in 2017 according to the Hong Kong Basic Law and decisions made by the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, state-run Xinhua news agency cited Lyu Xinhua, spokesman for the Third Session of the 12th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, as saying at a press conference.

The central government also unswervingly supports the HKSAR in developing democracy in an orderly and gradual manner, he said.

Looking ahead to the 2017 election, Lyu said the HKSAR chief executive should love the country and Hong Kong.

The NPC Standing Committee made a decision in August last year, giving clear stipulations on key factors in the universal suffrage system for the HKSAR chief executive's electiomn.

The decision allows two or three candidates to run for the HKSAR's top job after obtaining support from at least half of a broadly representative nominating committee.

"(We) hope that various sections of Hong Kong community hold rational discussion, build consensus and grasp opportunities to achieve the goal of universal suffrage for chief executive election," Lyu said.