More time was needed for Hong Kong to implement the Basic Law before amendments could be considered, the Chairman of the National People's Congress said yesterday.
Li Peng told local deputies to the Congress at a group meeting the mini-constitution should not be amended lightly.
He also said he was glad to see the right of abode controversy had come to an end.
Mr Li was also quoted as saying the mainland did not want to change the common law system in Hong Kong by reinterpreting the Basic Law.
He said Beijing had been prudent when deciding to reinterpret the mini-constitution in June last year amid the abode controversy.
The SAR Government claimed more than 1.6 million mainlanders would be eligible to stay in the territory following the court ruling on January 29 last year.
