Abstract
Contrary to what the Chinese government said before the handover in 1977 - that Hong Kong would change only a governor and flag - Hong Kong has been undergoing tremendous institutional changes. Besides the stationing of the People's Liberation Army and the Foreign Ministry Commission, one of the great changes is the replacement of the British governor by a local elected Chief Executive. The method of the election was more or less imposed by Beijing and subsequently he suffered from weak societal legitimacy. Facing pressures from groups of diverse political inclinations, he seemed to lose the authority to rule. The greatest intervention by the Beijing government in Hong Kong after the handover was the reinterpretation of the Basic Law clauses regarding the right of abode of Mainland Chinese in Hong Kong. By doing this, it practically ended the autonomy of the Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 51-67 |
| Number of pages | 17 |
| Journal | Asian Thought and Society |
| Volume | 26 |
| Issue number | 76 |
| Publication status | Published - 1 Jan 2001 |