Mr Tung Chee Hwa took the oath
of office for his second five-year term as Chief Executive at a ceremony
held in the Grand Hall of the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition
Centre on July 1. The oath was administered by President Jiang Zemin.
President Jiang then administered the oath of office to the newly
appointed Principal Officials of the Government, after which Mr Tung
presided at the oath taking by Members of the Executive Council.
Prior to the inauguration ceremony, a flag-raising ceremony was held
at the Golden Bauhinia Square to mark the 5th Anniversary of the
Establishment
of the HKSAR.
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HONG KONG became a Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic
of China (PRC) on July 1, 1997. The Basic Law — which is the constitutional
document of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) — came
into effect on the same day. The Basic Law sets out the basic policies
of the PRC regarding Hong Kong and the way in which the HKSAR is to be
administered for 50 years beyond 1997.
Under the Basic Law, the HKSAR shall enjoy a high degree
of autonomy except in defence and foreign affairs. The HKSAR shall exercise
executive, legislative and independent judicial power, including that
of final adjudication. The HKSAR's executive authorities and legislature
shall be composed of permanent residents of Hong Kong. The HKSAR shall
remain a free port, a separate customs territory and an international
financial centre and may, on its own, using the name 'Hong Kong, China',
maintain and develop relations and conclude and implement agreements
with foreign states and regions and international organisations in the
appropriate fields, including the economic, trade, financial and monetary,
shipping, communications, tourism, cultural and sports fields. |