COBAKZ
ANNEX 1
SUMMARY OF MAIN PROVISIONS OF FIRST ANNEX TO THE JOINT DECLARATION
Section I: Constitutional Arrangements and Government Structure
Except in
The key points in this section are that a Basic Law will be enacted
by China, stipulating that the socialist system and socialist
policies practised in the PRC shall not be extended to the Hong Kong
Special Administrative Region (SAR) and that Hong Kong's capitalist
system and lifestyle shall remain unchanged for 50 years.
relation to foreign affairs and defence, the Hong Kong SAR will enjoy a high degree of autonomy, including executive, legislative and independent judicial power. The Government and legislature of the Hong Kong SAR will be composed of local inhabitants. The Chief
Executive will be selected by election or through consultations held
locally and will be appointed by the Central People's Government.
The legislature will be constituted by elections. The executive authorities will be required to act in accordance with the law and
will be accountable to the legislature.
Section II: The Laws
This section describes how the Hong Kong SAR will have its own
system of laws after 1997. The law of the SAR will include the
common law and laws passed by the legislature of the SAR. Current Hong Kong laws and those enacted after 1997 by the legislature will be valid provided they do not contravene the Basic Law, which will stipulate the policies stated in the Joint
Declaration.
Section III: The Judicial System
This section provides for the maintenance of Hong Kong's existing legal system essentially unchanged. The system of appeal to the Privy Council will be replaced by a system based on a Court of Final Appeal in Hong Kong. The independence of the judiciary, the