The Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC) announced on Monday that it would examine a draft interpretation of Hong Kong's mini-constitution regarding the tenure of the region's chief executive next week.

The draft interpretation of Clause 2, Article 53 of the Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) was formulated at the standing committee's chairman and vice-chairpersons meeting on Monday.

As requested by the State Council on April 10, it will be deliberated at the 15th session of the 10th NPC Standing Committee, scheduled to meet in Beijing from April 24 to 27.

Li Fei, deputy director of the standing committee's Legislative Affairs Commission, reported to the chairman and vice-chairpersons meeting on issues concerning the clause.

They agreed to seek opinions from the standing committee's Hong Kong SAR Basic Law Committee, and entrusted Li and Deputy Secretary-General Qiao Xiaoyang to solicit views from Hong Kong NPC deputies, Hong Kong members of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and representatives from Hong Kong society.

Clause 2 of Article 53 stipulates that, in the event that the office of chief executive becomes vacant, a new one shall be selected within six months.

Tung Chee Hwa, 67, announced his resignation as chief executive on March 10, and this was approved at a plenary meeting of the State Council on March 12. Donald Tsang immediately became acting chief executive.

Tsang said at a press conference on March 12 that the selection of a new chief executive would take place on July 10 and that, "Our position is that the term of office should be the remainder of the term of the preceding chief executive."

He submitted a report to the State Council on April 6, proposing that it request that the NPC Standing Committee interpret Clause 2 of Article 53 to clarify the issue of tenure.

The upcoming NPC session will also include the second deliberation of draft civil servant law, first deliberation of the draft amendment to securities law, deliberation on admission to the Convention on the Prohibition of the Military or Any Other Hostile Use of Environmental Modification Techniques, approval of the Convention on the Protection of Children and Cooperation in Respect of Inter-country Adoption.

It will also hear a report by the State Council on reform of state-owned enterprises and on enforcement of statistics law.

(Xinhua News Agency April 19, 2005)