The law committee of the National People's Congress (NPC) said Sunday it agrees to submit the draft interpretations of two clauses of the Hong Kong Basic Law for approval l by the NPC Standing Committee.

Addressing the plenary meeting of the standing committee, Yang Jingyu, chairman of NPC Law Committee, said members of NPC Standing Committee have agreed on the draft interpretations on Clause 7 of Annex I and Clause 3 of Annex II of the Hong Kong Basic Law after deliberation.

The Law Committee held a meeting and deliberated the draft interpretations based on the deliberation decision of the standing committee, said the chairman.

Agreeing on the stipulation of the draft interpretations, the Law Committee agreed to submit the draft interpretations for approval by the meeting, said Yang.

The meeting, known as the 8th meeting of the 10th National People's Congress Standing Committee, started on April 2, and is scheduled to conclude on April 6.

During panel meetings on Saturday, members of the standing committee all agreed that as Hong Kong society has different understandings of the causes, it is essential and very timely to make such interpretations for the purpose of ensuring Hong Kong's constitutional system develops in line with the Basic Law and maintaining the long-term prosperity and stability of the region.

The national legislature's interpretation of those provisions concerning how the Chief Executive and local lawmakers were chosen is an implementation of its responsibility granted by the Constitution and the Basic Law, lawmakers said.

(Xinhua News Agency April 5, 2004)