The Authors 3
List of Abbreviations 15
General Introduction 17
Chapter 1. An Outline of Hong Kong's Constitutional History 17
Chapter 2. The Form of Colonial Government at the Time of the Handover of Hong Kong in 1997 21
1. THE GOVERNOR 21
2. THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL 23
3. THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL 24
4. THE JUDICIARY 26
Chapter 3. The Form of Government under the Basic Law 27
1. HONG KONG IN CHINA: 'ONE COUNTRY, Two SYSTEMS' 27
2. THIE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE CHINESE CENTRAL. AUTHORITIES AND HONG KONG 27
3. HONG KONG'S SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT: THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH 28
4. HONG KONG'S SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT: THE LEGISLATIVE BRANCH 29
5. HONG KONG'S SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT: THE JUDICIAL BRANCH 30
Chapter 4. Hong Kong: Territory (Geographic Data) 31
Chapter 5. Population (Demographic Data) 32
Selected Bibliography 33
Table of Cases 37
Table of Statutes 47
Part Ⅰ. Sources of Constitutional Law 51
Chapter 1. Treaties 51
Chapter 2. Constitution (Typification, Procedure for Amending the Constitution) 56
1. THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN TiHE CHINESE CONSTITUTION AND HONG KONG'S BASIC LAW 56
2. THE MAIN FEATURES OF THE BASIC LAW 57
Chapter 3. Legislation and Other Equivalent Legal Norms 60
1. CHINESE NATIONAL LAWS 60
2. HONG KONG LEGISLATION 62
3. OTHER LEGISLATIVE NORMS 64
Chapter 4. Jurisprudence 66
Chapter 5. Customary Law, Unwritten Law, and General Principles of Law 70
1. INTRODUCTION 70
2. THE OPERATION OF CONVENTIONS IN THE CROWN COLONY OF HONG KONG 70
3. CONVENTIONS UNDER THE BASIC LAW 72
Chapter 6. Subordinate Rules and Regulations 75
1. INTRODUCTION 75
2. DEFINTTIONS 76
3. CONTROL OF SUBORDINATE LEGISLATION 78
Ⅰ. Legislative Control of Subsidiary Legislation 80
Ⅱ. Judicial Control of Subsidiary Legislation 81
4. SCOPE AND EFFECT OF SUBSIDIARY LEGISLATION 86
Chapter 7. Codification, Interpretation and Hierarchy of Legal Rules 88
1. INTRODUCTION 88
2. CONSTITUTIONAL AUTHORTTY 89
3. THE COURTS 90
4. JURISDITIONAL CONFLICTS 91
Part Ⅱ. Form of Government 93
Chapter 1. General 93
1. INTRODUCTION 93
2. POLITICAL PARTIES, LOBBIES, AND 1NTEREST GROUPS 94
3. MISCELLANEOUS (REFERENDUM, POPULAR INITIATIVE) 96
Chapter 2. Head of State 97
1. THE ORGAN OF STATE (DESIGNATION) 97
2. THE SELECTION AND APPOINTMENT OF THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE 97
3. COMPETENCE 100
4. PRIVILEGES AND IMMUNITIES, INVIOLABILITY, PERSONAL POWER 104
Chapter 3. The Legislature 105
1. THE ORGAN OF STATE 105
Ⅰ. Role of the Head of State in the Legislative Process 105
Ⅱ. Hong Kong's Legislative Council - An Introduction 105
Ⅲ. Composition of the Legislative Council 106
Ⅳ. Franchise 109
Ⅴ. Legislative Powers Concerning Elections 110
Ⅵ. Term of Office and Vacancies 110
Ⅶ. Qualifications of a Member of the Legislative Council 112
Ⅷ. Disputes 114
Ⅸ. Procedure 115
2. LEGAL STATUS (PowERS, PRIVILEGES, AND IMMUNITIES) 117
3. COMPETENCE 119
Ⅰ. Legislative Power 119
Ⅱ. Foreign Affairs and Defence 121
Ⅲ. Public Finance 121
Ⅳ. Hong Kong's Financial System 122
Ⅴ. Aviation and Shipping 123
Ⅵ. Hong Kong's Social, Economic, and Political System 123
Ⅶ. Education 124
Ⅷ. Miscellaneous Matters 124
Ⅸ. Fundamental Rights and Freedoms 124
Ⅹ. Constituent Power 126
Ⅺ. Procedural Limitations on Legislative Competence 126
4. WORKING 127
Chapter 4. The Executive 128
1. INTRODUCTION 128
2. THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE 128
3. THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL 129
4. EXECUTIVE AUTHORTTIES 130
5. COMPETENCE 131
6. LEGiSLATiVE CONTROL 131
7. JUDICIAL CONTROL 132
8. THE ADMINISTRATION AND BUREAUCRACY 132
Chapter 5. The Judiciary in Hong Kong 135
1. INTRODUCTION 135
2. THE COURT OF FINAL. APPEAL. 136
Ⅰ. Constitution 136
Ⅱ. Jurisdiction of the Court of Final Appeal 137
3. THE HIGHI COURT 139
Ⅰ. Civil Jurisdiction of the Court of Appeal 139
Ⅱ. Criminal Jurisdiction of the Court of Appeal 142
4. THE COURT OF FIRST INSTANCE 144
Ⅰ. Original Civil Jurisdiction of the Court of First Instance 144
Ⅱ. Appellate Civil Jurisdiction of the Court of First Instance 145
Ⅲ. Original Criminal Jurisdiction of the Court of First Instance 145
Ⅳ. Appellate Criminal Jurisdiction of the Court of First Instance 146
Ⅴ. Supervisory Jurisdiction of Court of First Instance 146
5. THE DISTRICT COURT 147
Ⅰ. Original Civil Jurisdiction of the District Court 147
Ⅱ. Original Criminal Jurisdiction of the District Court 148
6. THE MAGISTRACIES 150
7. INDEPENDENCE OF THE JUDICIARY 151
Ⅰ. Appointment and Removal of Judges of the Court of Final Appeal 151
Ⅱ. Security of Tenure of Judges of the Court of Final Appeal 152
Ⅲ. Appointment and Removal of Judges of the High Court 153
Ⅳ. Appointment and Removal of Judges of the District Court and Magistrates 154
8. CONSTITUTIONAL JURISDICTION 156
9. JUDICIAL REVIEW 158
Chapter 6. Independent, Non-Political Agencies in the Legislative or Executive Branch 159
1. STATUTORY AND NoN-STATUTORY BODIES RELATED TOGOVERNMENT FUNCTIONS 159
2. NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS 161
Part Ⅲ. The State and Its Subdivisions 163
Chapter 1. The Relationship between the Chinese Central Authorities and the HKSAR 163
1. INTRODUCTION 163
2. LEGISLATIVE RELATIONSHIP 167
Ⅰ. Application of the Chinese Constitution in the HKSAR 169
Ⅱ. Application of Other National Laws to the HKSAR 170
3. EXECUTIVE RELATIONSHIP 172
Ⅰ. Foreign Affairs and National Defence 172
Ⅱ. Other Matters Over Which the Central Government Exercises Sovereignty 175
Ⅲ. Exercise of Emergency Powers in the HKSAR 176
Ⅳ. Appointment of Chief Executive and Principal Officials 178
4. FINANCIAL RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CENTRAL GOVERNMENT AND THE HKSAR 179
5. COOPERATION BETWEEN THE CENTRAI GOVERNMENT AND THE HKSAR, PREVENTION AND SETTLEMENT OF CONFLICTS 179
6. JUDICIAL RELATIONSHIP 179
Chapter 2. Interpretation of the Basic Law 181
1. THE INTERPRETATION AUTHORITY OF THE NPCSC 181
Ⅰ. The Plenary Authority of the NPCSC to Interpret the Basic Law 182
Ⅱ. The NPCSC's Interpretation Upon Referral 183
2. THE DELEGATED AUTHORITY OF THE COURTS IN THE HKSAR 183
Ⅰ. The Constitutional Review Authority of the Courts in the HKSAR 185
3. RESTRICTIONS UPON INTERPRETATION AND AMENDMENT OF THE BASIC LAW 186
Chapter 3. District Administration 189
1. THE DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION IN HONG KONG BEFORE 1997 190
2. THE DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION IN HONG KONG SINCE 1997 190
Part Ⅳ. Citizenship and the Administration of Justice 193
Chapter 1. Rules Concerning Nationality and the Relevance of Nationality 193
1. NATIONALITY UNDER THE BRITISH ADMINISTRATION 193
2. NATIONALITY UNDER THE BASIC LAW 194
3. RIGHT OF ABODE 195
Ⅰ. The Right of Abode of the 'Returning Residents' 196
Ⅱ. The Right of Abode of the Minorities 196
Ⅲ. The Right of Abode of Children of Hong Kong Residents,but Born in China 197
Chapter 2. Fundamental Rights and Liberties 201
1. GENERAL 201
Ⅰ. Common Law as a Source of Human Rights 201
Ⅱ. Legislation as a Source of Human Rights 202
Ⅲ. Hong Kong Bill of Rights as a Source of Human Rights 203
Ⅳ. The Basic Law as a Source of Human Rights 206
Ⅴ. International Human Rights Conventions as a Source of Human Rights 209
2. INTERPRETATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS 210
3. A SELECT SURVEY OF HUMAN RIGHTS IN HONG KONG 212
Ⅰ. The Right to Life 212
Ⅱ. The Right to not be Subjected to Torture, Cruel, Inhuman,or Degrading Treatment or Punishment 212
Ⅲ. The Right to Liberty and Security of the Person 213
Ⅳ. The Right to be Presumed Innocent 215
Ⅴ. The Rights of Defendants in Criminal Trial 218
Ⅵ. The Right to Private Property 221
Ⅶ. The Right to Privacy 222
Ⅷ. Freedom of Thought, Conscience, and Religion 223
Ⅸ. Freedom of Expression 224
Ⅹ. Freedom of Assembly 227
Ⅺ. Freedom of Association 228
Ⅻ. The Right to Participate in Public Life 229
ⅩⅢ. The Right to Equality Before the Law 230
ⅩⅠⅤ. The Right to Social Security 231
4. LIMITATIONS ON HUMAN RIGHTS 232
Chapter 3. Constitutional Problems of Minorities (Protection of Minorities and Group Rights) 233
1. RELIGIOUS FREEDOM 233
2. FAMILY LAW 234
3. RACIAL DISCRIMINATION 235
4. NATIONALITY LAW 235
Chapter 4. Judicial Control of Administrative Action 236
1. INTRODUCTION 236
2. MEANING OF ADMINISTRATION 240
Ⅰ. The Government as Administration 240
Ⅱ. Public Bodies as Administration 242
3. WHAT IS ADMINISTRATIVE ACTION? 244
4. THE GROUNDS OF JUDICIAL REVIEW 248
Ⅰ. Acting Without or in Excess of Jurisdiction 248
Ⅱ. Jurisdictional Error 250
Ⅲ. Failure to Exercise Discretionary Powers 252
Ⅳ. Bad Faith 253
Ⅴ. Use of Discretionary Powcrs for Improper Purpose 253
Ⅵ. Taking Irrelevant Considerations into Account 254
Ⅶ. Relevant Considerations Should be Taken into Account in Making Administrative Actions 255
Ⅷ. Uncertainty 256
Ⅸ. Error of Law on the Face of the Record 256
Ⅹ. No Evidence 257
Ⅺ. Irrationality 257
Ⅻ. Proportionality 259
ⅩⅢ. Procedural Impropriety 259
ⅩⅠⅤ. Rules of Natural Justice 260
5. PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE OF JUDICIAL REVIEW 269
6. STANDING 271
Chapter 5. Legal Position of Aliens 273
Part Ⅴ. Special Problems 275
Chapter 1. War, Treaty and Foreign Affairs Powers 275
1. GENERAL 275
Ⅰ. Foreign Affairs 275
Ⅱ. Defence Powers 277
Chapter 2. The Taxing and Spending Powers 278
1. GENERAL. 278
2. THE 'FISCAL FIREWALL' 280
3. THE 'BALANCED BUDGET' REQUIREMENT 282
4. THE CONSTITUTIONAL STATUS OF THE Low TAX POLICY 284
Chapter 3. Emergency Laws (Legislation Under Emergency Powers for War or Under Other Extraordinary Circumstances) 287
1. GENERAL 287
Chapter 4. The Constitutional Relationship between Church and State 290
Index 293