and that:
"they will remain unchanged for fifty years.
The Basic Law was duly adopted by the Seventh NPC at its
In
third session on 4 April 1990. It has been published.
there are a number of
the English language version,
provisions relevant to the issue in hand.
For example, among
the general principles are the commitment to an "independent
judicial power" including that of final adjudication in accordance with the provisions of this law; 4 an obligation
on the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region to "safeguard
the rights and freedoms of the residents
in accordance
with law":5
promise of the protection of the right of
private ownership of property in accordance with law; the
permission to use the English language as an official
language,
establishment of a system for "safeguarding the fundamental
freedoms of its residents
rights and
8 systems".
including by the
judiciary;
7
and the
and judicial
There is a commitment that the socialist
system, which obtains in the PRC, shall not be practised in
Hong Kong and that the "previous capitalist system and way of
life shall remain unchanged for fifty years".9
commitment to the common law is found in article 8:
A
"The laws previously in force in Hong Kong, that is, the common law, rules of equity, ordinances, subordinate legislation and customary law shall be maintained, except for any that contravene this Law, and subject to any amendment by the legislature of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region."
Chapter III contains
residents".
"fundamental rights and duties of the
These
include
familiar provisions such as
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