「千呼萬喚始出來，猶抱琵琶半遮面。」經過幾個月的紛紛擾擾，吵吵鬧鬧，政制發展五部曲中的第一部曲終於正式啟動，特首梁振英昨日向全國人大常委會提交政改報告，港府同時公布首輪政改諮詢報告。

其實大家都知道，政改問題由中央政府主導，港府只是中間人而已，根本沒有話語權，所以，在全國人大一錘定音之前，今次報告不能提供具體方案，可謂意料中事。如今皮球已交到中央政府手上，如何決斷，何去何從，固然不是港府所能控制，港人也只能聽天由命。

現在的問題是，政改一拍兩散，佔中噩夢成真，香港必將大亂，港府管治隨時崩潰，中央將如何應付呢？萬一佔領中環行動演變成小型「六四事件」，中央又如何收拾殘局呢？

事有必至，理有固然，香港問題積重難返，尾大不掉，中央政府實在難辭其咎，其對港政策混亂不堪，搖擺不定，正是所有亂象的根源。

Despite loads of efforts, there is still no way out for Hong Kong's constitutional reform

After a prolonged wait and months of rows and turmoil, the first step of the “five-step process” in Hong Kong's constitutional development has officially begun. Yesterday, the Chief Executive (CE) Leung Chun-ying submitted the consultation report to the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPCSC), and the government also published the result of the first round public consultation.

In fact, it is known to all that the constitutional reform is spearheaded by the central authorities. The Hong Kong government is merely an intermediary with no say. As the NPCSC has not yet given the final word, it can be expected that the consultation report is unable to offer any concrete methods for selecting the CE and forming the Legislative Council. Now the ball is in the court of the central authorities. The final decision and way forward are out of the Hong Kong government's control. Hong Kong people can just resign themselves to fate.

The imminent problem is: if the talk on constitutional reform breaks down and the nightmare of Occupy Central comes true, Hong Kong will fall into chaos and the government's rule may collapse anytime. How will the central authorities cope with the situation? In case the Occupy Central movement turns into a small-scale June 4th incident, how will the central authorities pick up the pieces?

Hong Kong's problems have accumulated to such an extent that they have almost become insoluble now. While the central authorities cannot shirk their responsibility for the predicament, their chaotic and swaying policy toward Hong Kong is actually the root of the pandemonium.

重要生字

give the final word：一錘定音

resign oneself to fate：聽天由命

pick up the pieces：收拾殘局

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