More than 1.1 million residents have signified their support for Hong Kong's democratic progress to be made in 2012 through a public signature campaign.

Secretary for Constitutional & Mainland Affairs Stephen Lam today received the signatures, collected by the Alliance for Constitutional Development in a signature campaign.

"This result surpasses that made in 2005 in support of the 2007 and 2008 proposals. It also reflects the fact that in the course of the last two months or so, through various visits to District Councils, we have secured broad support for progress to be made in 2012," he said.

"It also reflects the fact that according to opinion polls conducted by various universities, over half of the people of Hong Kong support that progress should be made in liberalising the election systems for returning the Chief Executive and the Legislative Council in 2012."