Page:Hong Kong Reunification Ordinance.pdf/6

“2A. Laws previously in force

(1) All laws previously in force shall be construed with such modifications, adaptations, limitations and exceptions as may be necessary so as not to contravene the Basic Law and to bring them into conformity with the status of Hong Kong as a Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China.

(2) Without prejudice to the generality of subsection (1), in any Ordinance—

(a) provisions relating to foreign affairs in respect of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region which are inconsistent with any national law applied in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region shall be construed subject to that national law and shall be so construed as to be consistent with the international rights and obligations of the Central People’s Government of the People’s Republic of China;

(b) provisions conferring privileges on the United Kingdom or other Commonwealth countries or territories, other than provisions giving effect to reciprocal arrangements between Hong Kong and the United Kingdom or other Commonwealth countries or territories shall have no further effect;

(c) provisions relating to the rights, exemptions and obligations of military forces stationed in Hong Kong by the United Kingdom shall, subject to the provisions of the Basic Law and the Garrison Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China, continue to have effect and apply to the military forces stationed in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region by the Central People’s Government of the People’s Republic of China;

(d) provisions relating to the superior legal status of the English language as compared with the Chinese language shall be construed as providing that both the English and Chinese languages are to be official languages; and

(e) provisions applying any English law may continue to be applicable by reference thereto as a transitional arrangement pending their amendment by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region through the Legislature thereof, provided that they are not prejudicial to the sovereignty of the People’s Republic of China and do not contravene the provisions of the Basic Law.