BASIC LAW (121)
Date
Statements by Chinese
Officials
Newspaper Comments/Editorials Non-Communist
Communist
24.6.86
25.6.86
Statements/Comments
by others
HK Standard: Co-convenor of the BLDC special group on political system, Dr Louis Cha, must not only hold regular briefings, he must try to ensure that the veil of secrecy is completely lifted.
Members of the BLCC special group studying residents' rights and obligations are divided in their views on the definition of "local inhabitants". Some members, mostly
expatriates, favoured a broad definition of the term. They said whether a person is regarded as a local inhabitant or not should have nothing to do with his ethnic origin and nationality. The main yardstick should be whether the person had the right of abode in HK. Other members, however, said "local inhabitants" should be Chinese
nationals.
The US Chief Justice Warren Burger: The future HK SAR's court of final adjudication should interpret the Basic Law on the basis of its basic spirit. The SAR courts should be flexible in interpreting the Basic Law and should seek to preserve the freedoms enshrined in it.