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Stick to Basic Law, even if it means changing it

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Not one word of the Basic Law has been changed since it was adopted by the National People's Congress almost 15 years ago. Beijing has always rejected any calls for amendments. There are good reasons for adopting this cautious approach.

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But there may be rare circumstances in which altering the text is the best way to resolve a problem. Beijing's apparent desire for the chief executive to serve a two-year term is perhaps one such situation.

Most constitutions allow for amendments to be made, although usually only after strict procedural requirements have been met. The US constitution, for example, has been amended 27 times over the past 216 years. China's constitution has been altered on four occasions, including changes made last year.

No decision to amend the Basic Law should be taken lightly. It provides Hong Kong with many crucial guarantees that define the parameters of the 'one country, two systems' concept.

The post-handover arrangements would crumble if the constitution was subjected to frequent changes.

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But this does not mean the Basic Law is cast in stone. Article 159 provides a mechanism for making amendments and it contains some important safeguards.

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