Law Society changes its stance on length of CE term
Updated at 5.16pm: The Law Society has dropped its opposition to Beijing?s interpretation of the Basic Law over the tenure of the next chief executive after its delegation met with mainland senior officials in Beijing on Tuesday, local radio reported.
The Law Society originally said it had opposed a two-year term for the next chief executive. This was because the Basic Law, Hong Kong?s mini-constitution, states that the territory?s leader should serve a full five-year term. But mainland officials had indicated that the next chief executive would finish the existing term of Tung Chee-hwa, who stepped down last month.
The Law Society delegation in Beijing on Tuesday met a deputy-director of the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office Zhang Xiao-ming to discuss these matters. Speaking after the meeting, Law Society vice-president Lester Huang said it did not oppose the interpretation now. This was because there was an ?urgent need? to ensure the by-election for the chief executive would be held on July 10, he explained.
Mr Huang said the interpretation by the National People?s Congress Standing Committee (NPCSC) was backed by legal arguments.
?The interpretation of the Basic Law has already started proceeding. So, if we refer to the legal arguments [supporting the right of the central government to interpret the Basic Law], we would not oppose the interpretation,? he said.
Mr Huang said the society had already expressed Hong Kong people?s views on the issue during the meeting, local radio reported.
Earlier, the Law Society had insisted that an interpretation of the Basic Law by the mainland was unnecessary.
