Hong Kong Law Society warns lack of clarity on joint rail checkpoint could undermine ‘one country, two systems’
Plan will see mainland laws enforced in part of the rail terminus in Hong Kong
The Law Society of Hong Kong warned on Thursday that the lack of a clarification on the legal basis of the controversial joint-checkpoint plan for the cross-border rail link risked undermining the Basic Law and the “one country, two systems” principle.
The society – a professional body of solicitors – publicly stated its stance and concern for the first time since China’s top legislature, the National People’s Congress Standing Committee (NPCSC), approved the joint customs arrangement for the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link on December 27.
The so called “co-location” plan allows mainland officials to enforce national laws in the “mainland port area”, which will take up one-fourth of the West Kowloon terminal and is “deemed as the mainland”.
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On December 28, Hong Kong’s Bar Association released a strongly-worded statement, saying it was “appalled” by the decision made by the NPCSC, that the move was the most retrograde step since 1997, and that the Basic Law was being “irreparably breached” and the rule of law “severely” undermined.