Mainland baby issue a top concern for minister

Secretary for Justice Rimsky Yuen Kwok-keung said yesterday that resolving legal issues regarding babies born to mainland mothers in Hong Kong would be a top priority in his five-year term.

But he said seeking an interpretation of Basic Law clauses covering those issues was not an appropriate solution.

Speaking on a radio programme, Yuen said his team had begun reviewing ways to alleviate the crisis over mainland mothers giving birth in the city without resorting to a controversial appeal to the central government.

'Ultimately this is a legal issue. To solve the problem, it should be by legal means,' Yuen said. 'This is an important work priority for me. We are looking at different options and assessing them. I hope that the problem can be solved within the city's legal system.'

The controversy stems from a 2001 Court of Final Appeal ruling that all babies born to mainland mothers in Hong Kong have right of abode. Since then, an estimated 170,000 such babies have been born in the city, bringing fears such an influx will strain public services.

Some believe the government should amend the Immigration Ordinance, while others think it would be better to ask the National People's Congress Standing Committee to interpret the Basic Law.