On July 1, 2007, Hong Kong celebrated its tenth anniversary as a special administrative region of China. It also marked the first decade of its unique constitutional order in which Hong Kong courts continue to apply and develop the common law but the power of final interpretation of the constitution lies with the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress. This book is a collection of chapters by leading constitutional law experts in Hong Kong who examine the interpretive issues and conflicts which have arisen since 1997. Intervention by China in constitutional interpretation has been restrained but each intervention has had significant political and jurisprudential impact. The authors give varied assessments of the struggle for interpretive coherence in the coming decade.

Effective since China's resumption of sovereignty on 1 July 1997, the Hong Kong Basic Law lays down the general policies and system of government for Hong Kong under the "one country, two systems" formula. It guarantees Hong Kong a high degree of autonomy, enshrines the rights and freedoms of residents, and preserves a separate common law system with an independent judiciary. This introduction traces the origins of the Hong Kong Basic Law and the concepts and legal issues that surround it. Drawing on the experience of the first 15 years, it then analyses the content of the Hong Kong Basic Law, especially in relation to Hong Kong's political system, the judiciary, and human rights. Intended especially for students at all levels in law, politics, and other disciplines, this book—the only introductory guide of its kind to the subject—will also appeal to the general reader interested in Hong Kong's experience under "one country, two systems". "Danny Gittings's Introduction to the Hong Kong Basic Law makes a significant contribution to an important subject. It is expressed in reader-friendly terms. The insights that it provides are of value not only to lawyers but also to the general public." —The Hon. Mr. Justice Kemal Bokhary, Permanent Judge of the Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal (1997–2012), Non-Permanent Judge (2012– ). "This well-researched and very readable introduction explains the history, practices and future of the Basic Law—Hong Kong's key constitutional document. It also explores how far the Basic Law is able to address the many political and legal issues now facing Hong Kong. The book is suitable for a wide range of readers. Students of Hong Kong law at all levels will find it essential reading. General readers with an interest in Hong Kong's governance will find in it a lucid and accurate guide—and a timely one as the debate about implementing democracy intensifies." —Professor Fu Hualing, Faculty of Law, University of Hong Kong. "Many of us approach law books with trepidation. But Gittings, a legal academic, used to be a journalist and this shows in his ability to make the book accessible to the general reader. [...] The Basic Law will continue to be central to issues facing the city for years to come. This book enables the reader to quickly acquire a much better understanding of them." — South China Morning Post "As Professor Gittings points out in his book, which includes a chapter on what might happen after Hong Kong’s 50-year autonomy ends, readability was a key aim. Acronyms are kept to a minimum and details set up neatly and comprehensively in footnotes so that the main text is kept as clean as possible." — Hong Kong Lawyer

This book provides an account of the evolving constitutional arrangement known as “One Country, Two Systems”, as practised in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China (PRC). The British colony of Hong Kong, one of the “Four Little Dragons” of East Asia, reverted to Chinese rule in 1997. Since then, Hong Kong has continued to be an international financial centre, a free market, and a cosmopolitan city. At the same time, the tensions and contradictions inherent in “One Country, Two Systems” have given rise to constitutional controversies and social movements, culminating in the Umbrella movement of 2014, the anti-extradition law movement of 2019, the enactment of a National Security Law in 2020, and the electoral overhaul of 2021. This book discusses the structure and operations of Hong Kong's legal, judicial and political systems and their interactions with the national authorities of the PRC. The book provides a useful case study in comparative constitutional law, especially on autonomy and devolution issues within sovereign States. This comparative study is particularly interesting because Hong Kong is a common law jurisdiction within the PRC's socialist legal system. It will therefore be of interest to students and scholars of Chinese law, Hong Kong law and comparative politics, as well as lawyers whose practice involves Hong Kong.

This study focuses on territorial autonomy, which is often used in different conflict-resolution and minority situations. Four typical elements are identified on the basis of the historical example of the Memel Territory and the so-called Memel case of the PCIJ; distribution of powers, participation through elections and referendums, executive power of territorial autonomy, and international relations. These elements are used for a comparative analysis of the constitutional law that regulates the position of six currently existing special jurisdictions, the Åland Islands in Finalnd, Scotland in the United Kingdom, Puerto Rico in the United States of America, Hong Kong in China, Aceh in Indonesia and Zanzibar in Tanzania. The current sub-state entities examined can be arranged in relation to Memel in a manner that indicates that Hong Kong and the Åland conform to the typical territorial autonomy, while Puerto Rico and Aceh should probably not be understood as territorial autonomies proper. At the same time, the territorial autonomies can be distinguished from federally organized sub-state entities.

Rarely do acts of civil disobedience come in such grand fashion as Taiwan’s Sunflower Movement and Hong Kong’s Umbrella Movement. The two protests came in regions and jurisdictions that many have underestimated as regards furthering notions of political speech, democratisation, and testing the limits of authority. This book breaks down these two movements and explores their complex legal and political significance. The collection brings together some of Asia’s, and especially Taiwan and Hong Kong’s, most prolific writers, many of whom are internationally recognised experts in their respective fields, to address the legal and political significance of both movements, including the complex questions they posed as regards democracy, rule of law, authority, and freedom of speech. Given that occupational type protests have become a prominent method for protesters to make their cases to both citizens and governments, exploring the legalities of these significant protests and establishing best practices will be important to future movements, wherever they may transpire. With this in mind, the book does not stop at implications for Taiwan and Hong Kong, but talks about its subject matter from a comparative, international perspective.

This book focuses on the separatist trend in Hong Kong, which it approaches by drawing on historical studies, political analysis, social studies and legal analysis. It offers a comprehensive and interdisciplinary guide to the topic, addressing the historical evolution of “Hong Kong Nativism,” the theoretical connotations and fallacies of “Hong Kong Independence,” and the legal measures taken to forestall it. Written by mainland scholars who approach the subject matter from a legal perspective, the book offers revealing insights for all students and researchers who are interested in Hong Kong Basic Law and the current political situation in Hong Kong.

Rule of law is a core Hong Kong value, providing a defensive wall around the territory and protecting its way of life against 'mainlandisation'. Before the 1997 retrocession to China, fears were widespread that the rights and freedoms enjoyed under colonial rule would be eroded, that the rule of law would be weakened and that corruption would increase. Soon, the first blows were struck against the rule of law via an NPCSC ruling which overturned the judgment of the Court of Final Appeal. Successive interventions by Beijing in Hong Kong's legal and political affairs have given rise to fears about the loss of the rule of law and loss of identity. These fears have subsequently provoked mass street demonstrations, including the 'Umbrella Revolution' of 2014. But, as this book shows, Hong Kongers also use less explicit arts of resistance to maintain their identity.

When Britain and China negotiated the future of Hong Kong in the early 1980s, their primary concern was about maintaining the status quo. The rise of China in the last thirty years, however, has reshaped the Beijing-Hong Kong dynamic as new tensions and divisions have emerged. Thus, post-1997 Hong Kong is a case about a global city’s democratic transition within an authoritarian state. The Routledge Handbook of Contemporary Hong Kong introduces readers to these key social, economic, and political developments. Bringing together the work of leading researchers in the field, it focuses on the process of transition from a British colony to a Special Administrative Region under China’s sovereign rule. Organized thematically, the sections covered include: ‘One Country, Two Systems’ in practice Governance in post-colonial Hong Kong Social mobilization The changing social fabric of Hong Kong society Socio-economic development and regional integration The future of Hong Kong. This book provides a thorough introduction to Hong Kong today. As such, it will be invaluable to students and scholars of Hong Kong’s politics, culture and society. It will also be of interest to those studying Chinese political development and the impact of China’s rise more generally.

The European Yearbook of Constitutional Law (EYCL) is an annual publication devoted to the study of constitutional law. It aims to provide a forum for in-depth analysis and discussion of new developments in the field, both in Europe and beyond. This second volume examines the constitutional positioning of cities across space and time. Unrelenting urbanisation means that most people are, or soon will be, living in cities and that city administrations become, in many respects, their quintessential governing units. Cities are places where State power is operationalised and concretised; where laws and government policies transform from parchment objectives to practical realities. In a similar vein, cities are also places for the realisation of the constitutional rights and liberties enjoyed by individuals. The book is organised around three sets of relations that await further unpacking in theory as well as practice: that between cities and other institutions in the national constitutional architecture; that between cities and their inhabitants; and that between cities and international organisations. The contributions to this book show the marked diversity in the role and powers available to cities in Europe and beyond, and identify principles and approaches to help stipulate new ways of thinking about the legal role and relevance of cities going forward. Ernst Hirsch Ballin is distinguished university professor at Tilburg University and vice-dean for research of Tilburg Law School. Gerhard van der Schyff is associate professor at Tilburg Law School, Department of Public Law and Governance. Maarten Stremler is lecturer at Maastricht University, Faculty of Law, Department of Public Law. Maartje De Visser is associate professor at SMU School of Law, Singapore.

Analyzes courts in fourteen selected Asian jurisdictions to provide the most up-to-date and comprehensive interdisciplinary book available.