(13 Jan 1997) English/Nat
With only 169 days left before the change of sovereignty, Hong Kong held another one of the British styled ceremony to mark the beginning of its official legal year, for the last time.
Although the legal system is to remain unchanged after the Chinese takeover, many fear that the current laws will not survive under Chinese rule.
Judges and lawyers in wigs and robes marched to the church Monday afternoon to open the legal year under British rule in Hong Kong, only this time, it will be the last.
In less than 6 months time, these judges and lawyers will face the same legal system, but under a different government.
To them and the entire Hong Kong population of 6.2 million, it is yet unknown whether the legal system could be fully functional under a different sovereignty.
After July 1st, a detailed written constitution will replace the current constitution which is based on the Letters Paten and Royal Instructions originated to late 19th century models.
Instead, the new constitution will be the first modern constitution written specifically just for Hong Kong and will be applied for the next 50 years.
Another change will be the application of a bilingual court system to replaced the current English speaking one which is widely welcomed by the majority non-English speaking Chinese.
With closer ties between Hong Kong and China, many question whether the one country two system will be feasible.
SOUNDBITE (English):
"Hong Kong stands on the threshold of an historic change, that of transfer from the exercise of British sovereignty over the people and territory of Hong Kong to the exercise of sovereignty by the People's Republic of China. That transfer is to take place in accordance with the terms of a binding treaty between the Governments of the United kingdom and of a binding treaty between the Governments of the United Kingdom and of the People's Republic of China; a treaty which we who are its objects have ultimately few, if any, means of enforcing. Even so, we must by our own efforts seek to ensure that the assurances in the Joint Declaration are realised and implemented insofar as we can and, by whatever legal means are available to us, to prevent a violation of those assurances if a violation is threatened."
SUPERCAPTION: Gladys Li, chairman of the Bar Association
Former Chief Justice T.L.Yang resigned from the post last October to run for the post of Chief Executive, Hong Kong's first Chinese governor after its handover to China but failed in the many say China's handpicked selection process.
Deputy Chief Justice Noel Power praised the efficiency of Hong Kong's judiciary system in comparison with major cities of its size, such as London, Sydney, New York.
He also assured the people of Hong Kong that the law will stand independent after the handover.
SOUNDBITE (English):
"Let me finally assure all of the people of Hong Kong that they have an independent, capable and hard working judiciary versed in the common law and that they have a judiciary which will, without fear or favour, administer that law in the coming years."
SUPERCAPTION: Noel Power, Deputy Chief Justice
However the people of Hong Kong know that there will be no guarantees of judicial independence after the hand over to Beijing on June 30.
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