The SAR's judicial independence and international image would not be undermined if the National People's Congress introduced additional interpretations to the Basic Law, legal expert Maria Tam Wai-chu said yesterday.
Ms Tam, a Basic Law Committee member, said the NPC Standing Committee would not suppress the Court of Final Appeal by exercising its power to interpret the mini-constitution.
'It is only a matter of interpretation. If the NPC Standing Committee is to interpret the Basic Law, it is only to prevent the extra burden for Hong Kong due to a sudden influx of mainland children,' she said.
Ms Tam said exercising of the NPC Standing Committee's power to interpret the Basic Law had nothing to do with Hong Kong's judicial independence. 'The NPC Standing Committee is to interpret some articles of the Basic Law but not to interfere with trials,' she said.
Describing the controversy as the gap between the judiciary and legislature's power to interpret the law, Ms Tam said the Basic Law provided a mechanism.
'Article 158 is designed to bridge the gap,' she said, but the Court of Final Appeal had not used this bridge.