Officials explain aim of Basic Law interpretation

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Friday, April 09, 2004

Officials explain aim of Basic Law interpretation

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The visiting central officials stressed Thursday that the Chinese National People's Congress(NPC) Standing Committee's interpretation of the Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region is aimed at maintaining long-term prosperity and stability of Hong Kong.

Qiao Xiaoyang, deputy secretary-general of the NPC Standing Committee, Li Fei, deputy director of the Legislative Affairs Commission of the NPC Standing Committee, and Xu Ze, deputy director of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council, made the remarks during the forums with people from all walks of life in Hong Kong.

Describing the NPC Standing Committee's interpretation of the Basic Law as highly necessary and timely, the three officials saidthe interpretation is made for correct implementation of the BasicLaw and for the happiness and well-being of Hong Kong people, without any personal interest of the central government.

The three central officials arrived in Hong Kong Wednesday for a visit to Hong Kong to explain the NPC Standing Committee's interpretation of the relevant clauses of the Basic Law, clear up misunderstandings and exchange views with Hong Kong people from various walks of life on the issue.

Since Wednesday, the central officials attended two forums and a seminar held by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government and the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the HKSAR, and met people from Hong Kong higher education institutions, research institutions, and professional associations, and law practitioners

More than 500 people from various walks of life attended Thursday afternoon's seminar. The three central officials delivered speeches and answered questions at the seminar.

Qiao said at the Thursday's seminar that it is very important to correctly understand "One Country, Two Systems." "One Country"is the premise on which "Two Systems" are implemented. Without "One Country," there would be no "Two Systems."

He said China is a unitary state instead of a federation. A special administrative region's high degree of autonomy is vested by the central government, its high degree of autonomy should be within the framework as vested by the Basic Law.

Qiao added that the NPC Standing Committee has a vested power to interpret the Basic Law. This constitutes a major change in Hong Kong's legal system since its return to the motherland in 1997, and also a necessary means for the NPC Standing Committee tomonitor Hong Kong's implementation of the Basic Law.

Qiao said it is also very important to understand the purpose and ultimate objective of the NPC Standing Committee's interpretation.

He said the NPC Standing Committee has been cautious and serious in exercising its vested power of interpreting the Basic Law. The purpose and ultimate objective of the interpretation is to ensure the implementation of the "One Country, Two Systems" andmaintain the long-term prosperity and stability of Hong Kong.

Li Fei said that the special administrative region's political system defined by the Basic Law conforms to the real situation in Hong Kong.

Li said the political system embodies the principle of gradual and orderly progress and balanced representation, also takes into consideration the interests of various social strata and various walks of life, and reflects the fundamental interests and rights of democracy of Hong Kong compatriots.

He said the political system is the political basis for maintaining Hong Kong's long-term prosperity and stability.

Xu Ze said an important principle of Hong Kong's political system defined by the Constitution and the Basic Law is that Hong Kong's political system must be determined by the NPC according tolaw.

Xu said the NPC Standing Committee's timely interpretation of the Basic Law is to guarantee Hong Kong's smooth constitutional development on the track of "One Country, Two Systems" and the Basic Law.

He said the Basic Law interpretation is also aimed at ensuring the legal, rational and orderly discussion of constitutional development in Hong Kong.

During the forums and seminar held Wednesday and Thursday, people from various walks of life in Hong Kong actively expressed their opinions and most of them agreed that the NPC Standing Committee's interpretation of the Basic Law is necessary, legal and rational, which will be helpful for reaching a consensus, so as to ensure constitutional development in Hong Kong in a stable and safe manner.

Source: Xinhua

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