2 Legal system


Decision by China’s top legislative body will see mainland laws enforced in designated zone, amid fears that city’s autonomy will be undermined Dec. 27, 2017 (South China Morning Post) — Beijing on Wednesday formally approved a controversial plan for mainland officials to enforce national laws in part of a station on the Hong Kong side for a cross-border rail link under construction, presenting a done deal to the city amid an...

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Dec. 21, 2017 (RTHK) — Chief Executive Carrie Lam says it will be “very difficult” to enact national security laws in the coming 12 months and it’s not on her agenda for now. In an exclusive interview with RTHK, Lam said she hopes people will not see the future legislation as something to be feared. Beijing figures have repeatedly indicated in recent months that the central government is losing patience with Hong Kong over...

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November 7, 2016 (SCMP) – Following Beijing’s decision to intervene with an interpretation of the Basic Law on oath taking by Legislative Council members, Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying said Hong Kong would move to enact Article 23, a controversial provision of the Basic Law relating to national security legislation. Full SCMP story:...

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May 24, 2016 (South China Morning Post) — Op-ed by Cliff Buddle — Whenever central government officials comment on Hong Kong’s judiciary, they court controversy. State leader Zhang Dejiang’s (張德江) remarks about the rule of law during his brief visit to the city last week were no exception. The speeches he made in Hong Kong were generally well received and moderate in tone. Zhang, chairman of the National People’s Congress,...

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September 25, 2015 (RTHK) — Chief Justice Geoffrey Ma has highlighted the importance of an independent judiciary, and the need to maintain the rule of law in Hong Kong, during a high-profile ceremony to mark the opening of the new Court of Final Appeal Building. Ma said one of the principal themes of the Basic Law is the maintenance and continuation of institutions such as the rule of law, that he said “provides the social...

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