Senior legislators hear report on draft interpretation to Hong Kong Basic Law article

BEIJING - Senior Chinese legislators on Sunday heard a report reviewing the results of a draft interpretation to Article 104 of the Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR).

Qiao Xiaoyang, head of the Law Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), delivered the report at Sunday's chairpersons' meeting of the NPC Standing Committee.

Zhang Dejiang, chairman of the NPC Standing Committee, presided over the meeting.

The draft interpretation was submitted to legislators for deliberation at the bimonthly session of the NPC Standing Committee, which concludes Monday.

The meeting demanded the draft interpretation be submitted to the next chairpersons' meeting of the NPC Standing Committee, which will decide whether it should be put to a vote at the closing of the bimonthly session, after further deliberation and modification.

Article 104 of the Basic Law of the Hong Kong SAR stipulates: "When assuming office, the chief executive, principal officials, members of the executive council and of the legislative council, judges of courts at all levels and other members of the judiciary in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region must, in accordance with law, swear to uphold the Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China and swear allegiance to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China."