Hong Kong, China (CNN) -- Protesters on Wednesday rallied outside Hong Kong's Legislative Council as lawmakers began debate over an electoral reform package that may determine the Chinese territory's political future.
Police estimated that both camps of protesters numbered in the hundreds at noontime but said they were prepared for as many as 10,000.
At issue: the pace of implementing universal suffrage, or direct elections. Under the reform package, Hong Kong Chief Executive Donald Tsang has said the territory may implement universal suffrage for the election of the Chief Executive in 2017 and for Legislative Council in 2020.
"May" is the operative word, said Fred Lam, a member of Post-80s Youth Against Unrightful Authority, one organization protesting the reform plan outside the Legislative Council (LegCo) building. "We think the government or the Beijing government should give a real definition of universal suffrage, a real promise of democracy in 2017 and 2020. It's ambiguous about the date".
"There is not a 'must' or a 'will,'" he added, saying that the absence of a "more concrete promise" doesn't lend confidence.
