20 Jul 91
FE/1129 C1/2
Article 14. The central people's government shall be responsible for the defence of the Macao SAR.
The Macao SAR government shall be responsible for the maintenance of public order in the region.
Article 15. The central people's government shall appoint the Chief Executive, the principal officials of the executive authorities and the Chief Procurator in accordance with the provisions of this law.
Article 16. The Macao SAR shall be vested with executive power. It shall, on its own, conduct the administrative affairs of the region in accordance with the relevant provisions of this
law.
Article 17. The Macao SAR shall be vested with legislative
power.
Laws enacted by the legislature of the Macao SAR must be reported to the NPC Standing Committee for the record. The reporting for the record shall not affect the entry into force of such laws.
If the NPC Standing Committee, after consulting the Macao SAR Basic Law Committee under it, considers that any law enacted by the legislature of the region is not in conformity with the provisions of this law regarding affairs within the responsibility of the central authorities or regarding the relationship between the central authorities and the region, the Standing Committee may return the law in question but shall not amend it. Any law returned by the NPC Standing Committee shall immediately be invalidated. This invalidation shall not have retroactive effect, unless otherwise provided for in the laws of the region.
Article 18. The laws in force in the Macao SAR shall be this law, the laws previously in force in Macao as provided for in Article 8 of this law, and the laws enacted by the legislature of the region.
National laws shall not be applied in the Macao SAR except for those listed in Annex III of this law. The laws listed therein shall be applied locally by way of promulgation or legislation by the region.
The NPC Standing Committee may add to or delete from the list of laws in Annex III after consulting its Macao SAR Basic Law Committee and the government of the region. Laws listed in Annex III to this law shall be confined to those relating to defence and foreign affairs as well as other matters outside the limits of the autonomy of the region as specified by
this law.
In the event that the NPC Standing Committee decides to declare a state of war or, by reason of turmoil within the Macao SAR which endangers national unity or security and is beyond the control of the government of the region, decides that the region is in a state of emergency, the central people's government may issue an order applying the relevant national laws in the region.
Article 19. The Macao SAR shall be vested with independent judicial power, including that of final adjudication.
The courts of the Macao SAR shall have jurisdiction over all cases in the region, except that the restrictions on their jurisdiction imposed by the legal system and principles previously in force in Macao shall be maintained.
The courts of the Macao SAR shall have no juris over acts of state such as defence and foreign affairs. courts of the region shall obtain a certificate from the Chin Executive on questions of fact concerning acts of state such as defence and foreign affairs whenever such questions arise in the adjudication of cases. This certificate shall be binding on the courts. Before issuing such a certificate, the Chief Executive shall obtain a certifying document from the central people's government.
Article 20. The Macao SAR may enjoy other powers granted to it by the NPC, the NPC Standing Committee or the central people's government.
Article 21. Chinese citizens who are residents of the Macao SAR shall be entitled to participate in the management of state affairs according to law.
In accordance with the assigned number of seats and the selection method specified by the NPC, the Chinese citizens among the residents of the Macao SAR shall locally elect deputies of the region to the NPC to participate in the work of the highest body of state power.
Article 22. Departments of the central people's government as well as provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the central government, must not interfere in affairs which the Macao SAR administers on its own in
accordance with this law.
If there is a need for departments of the central government, as well as provinces, autonomous regions, municipalities directly under the central government to set up offices in the Macao SAR, they must have the consent of the Macao SAR government and the approval of the central people's government.
All offices set up in the Macao SAR by the departments of the central government, or by provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the central government and the personnel of these offices must abide by the laws of the Macao SAR.
People from provinces, autonomous regions and municipalitics directly under the central government must apply for approval for entry into the Macao SAR. The number of people who are allowed to settle in the Macao SAR will be decided by the relevant department of the central people's government after soliciting opinions from the Macao SAR government.
The Macao SAR may establish an office in Peking.
Article 23. The Macao SAR will enact its own laws to prohibit: Any act of treason, secession, sedition or theft of state secrets; any political activities conducted by foreign political organizations or groups in the Macao SAR; and to prohibit the establishment of relations between Macao SAR political organizations or groups and foreign political organizations or
groups.