Speaking at a symposium on constitutional development, Stephen Lam, Hong Kong's secretary for Constitutional Affairs and head of the Constitutional Development Task Force, said on Saturday that China's top legislature's interpretation of the Basic Law will not harm either the implementation of "one country, two systems" or Hong Kong's high degree of autonomy.

Lam pointed out that according to Article 62 of the Constitution, the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC) is responsible for determining the constitution of the Hong Kong Special Administration Region (HKSAR). Article 158 of the Basic Law states that the NPC Standing Committee is entrusted to interpret the Basic Law.

Lam said the early interpretation and clear definition of the articles will be good for Hong Kong.

Financial Secretary Henry Tang said on Saturday that it is the legitimate right of the NPC Standing Committee to interpret the Basic Law, and the act will not affect the confidence of foreign investors in Hong Kong.

He said foreign investors care about Hong Kong's economic structure and whether they can make money there. Hong Kong's economy has just entered a recovery track, which does not come easily, Tang pointed out.

He said he believes the most important thing for Hong Kong is to seek opportunities and make concerted efforts to face new challenges.

Hong Kong Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa stated that interpretation of the Basic Law is a legitimate function of the NPC. Tung, speaking at a Friday evening press conference, added that the HKSAR government was duly notified by the central government that China's top legislature will deliberate on a draft interpretation of Clause 7 of Annex I and Clause 3 of Annex II of the Basic Law in its next meeting, from April 2 to April 6.

He said that the NPC Standing Committee chairman and vice-chairmen decided at a meeting on Friday to collect the views of the Basic Law Committee of the Hong Kong SAR under the NPC Standing Committee on the draft interpretation.

Tung said the central government has stated that the constitutional development of Hong Kong involves the full implementation of the Basic Law and "one country, two systems." It also concerns interests of various strata and sector of the community of Hong Kong, as well as the long-term prosperity and stability of Hong Kong.

The top legislature's discussion of the constitutional development indicates that the central government considers the issue very important, he added.

Tung said that constitutional development is a complicated and serious issue, concerning the basic interests of the whole nation and Hong Kong as well.

He said that in the past two months, the Constitutional Development Task Force has promoted extensive discussions on the issue in the community. Public opinion on legislative process issues does range broadly.

He said the task force will meet members of the NPC Standing Committee to reflect the views of the public on legislative process issues collected in the past two months, as well as the position of the HKSAR government on these issues.

Various Hong Kong media said on Saturday that the NPC's plan to interpret the Basic Law provisions is timely and significant to fostering consensus over constitutional development.

Newspaper Takunpao said in a commentary that the central authorities have recently done much work on Hong Kong's constitutional development. While this has markedly raised Hong Kong people's understanding of the Basic Law, it not dispelled all dispute.

Wenweipo, another newspaper, said great deeds since the handover have proved that the central government is determined to carry out the principle of "one country, two systems" and the Basic Law.

(China Daily March 29, 2004)