Symposium on the System and Powers of Chief Executive of the Special Administrative Region
The Symposium on the System and Powers of Chief Executive of the Special Administrative Region, funded by the Basic Law of Hong Kong Implementation Research Project, was held on December 20-21, 2019 in the City University of Hong Kong, School of Law Conference Room.
The conference centered around the relevant constitutional provisions, in particular, Article 48 of the Hong Kong Basic Law, focusing on the powers and functions of the Chief Executive (CE) and the exercise of such powers and functions. The symposium was divided into four different panels.
The first panel mainly focused on the CE’s emergency powers under the Emergency Regulation Ordinance (ERO), while the second panel examined the CE’s powers and functions under Article 48 of the Basic Law. The third panel focused on the CE’s constitutional role and responsibilities under “One Country, Two Systems” and the Basic Law, and the fourth panel was keynote speeches on the system and powers of the CE, including emergency response, constitutional role, and constitutional responsibilities of the CE.
The first panel of the symposium was chaired by Dr. Huang Mingtao (Wuhan University). Dr. Huang began by elaborating on the background of the CE on the system and power, the issues to be discussed at the meeting, and a warm welcoming to all the speakers, invited guests and attendants. Afterwards, the speakers began to give their speeches. Dr. Zhai Xiaobo (University of Macau) explained the legal basis of his assertion that the CE possess emergency powers. Dr. Zhu Shihai (Macau University of Science and Technology) expressed his thoughts and analysis regarding the CE’s exercise of emergency power. After that, Dr. Fu Jing (Zhongnan University of Economics and Law) introduced the regulation of emergency powers in countries under the rule of law, and discussed the exercise and regulation of the CE’s emergency powers.
The second panel of the symposium focused mainly on the interpretation of the CE’s powers and functions under Article 48 of the Basic Law. Professor Lo Siu Hing (Directorate Member of the HKU School of Professional and Continuing Education) and Dr. P.Y. Lo (Gilt Chambers) analysed and assessed the exercise of the powers and functions of the CE under Article 48 of the Basic Law respectively. Next was Dr. Kang Yumei (Beijing Foreign Studies University) who shared her study on the ‘Origin, Evolution and Reflection’ of the executive order under Article 48(4) of the Basic Law. Finally, Professor Ye Haibo (Shenzhen University) discussed the CE’s power to decide whether government officials or other personnel in charge of government affairs should testify or give evidence before the Legislative Council or its committees.
The third panel of the symposium provided commentaries on the constitutional status and responsibilities of the CE. Dr. Ho Kin-Chung (Founder of the One Country Two Systems Youth Forum) first discussed the role of the CE from the perspective of legal status and political reality. Then Professor Yang Xiaonan (Dalian Maritime University) expressed her views on the power of the Central People’s Government to issue directives toward HKSAR via the CE. After that, Dr. Huang Mingtao (Wuhan University) analysed the formalization of the CE’s reporting duty to the Central People’s Government under Article 43 of the Hong Kong Basic Law. Last but not least, Dr. Chen Minghui (Beijing University) made a doctrinal analysis of how the CE should be appointed and dismissed under the Basic Law.
The last panel of the symposium was keynote speeches on the system and powers of the CE. Professor Albert Chen (University of Hong Kong) firstly discussed the emergency powers of the Hong Kong administration during the colonial period and after the handover. Then, Professor Zhang Yan (Renmin University of China) argued that the CE serves as a local guardian of the Basic Law. Afterward, Professor Xu Chang (Macau University of Science and Technology) summarized the successful practice of “One Country, Two Systems” in Macao and its implications for Hong Kong. Finally, Professor Zhu Guobin (City University of Hong Kong) shared his research on the further implementation on the powers and functions of the CE.
At the closing stage of the symposium, Professor Zhu Guobin, on behalf of the sponsor, spoke highly of the symposium, saying that it was timely, with a lot of theoretical depth and knowledge, and most importantly, of great practical significance. He also thanked all the speakers, invited guests and participants for their contributions to the event.
由香港城市大學法律學院舉辦、「香港基本法實施研究計劃」資助的「行政長官制度與權力」專題研討會於2019年12月20-21日在法律學院舉行。本研討會邀請到了來自內地、香港和澳門的法律與政策專家出席，並發表真知灼見。會議伊始，法律學院教授及人權法律與政策論壇主任朱國斌教授代表學院致辭，歡迎各位專家學者。
本次會議圍繞相關憲制性法律條文，尤其是《基本法》第48條，探討行政長官制度安排與權力行使。研討會分為四大部分。第一部分主要集中於探討緊急情況下的行政長官職權，即行政長官應對緊急情況的權力；第二部分以《基本法》第48條為中心，對行政長官的各項職權作出釋義和考察；第三部分重點探討行政長官在「一國兩制」和《基本法》之下的憲制地位與憲制責任；第四部分為行政長官制度與權力主題發言，內容涵蓋緊急情況因應、行政長官的憲制角色以及行政長官的憲制權力。
研討會第一節由武漢大學法學院副教授黃明濤博士主持。黃博士首先詳述有關行政長官在制度與權力上的背景，會議要討論的問題，並歡迎與會講者和聽眾。隨後，各位講者續一發表演講。澳門大學法學院翟小波博士認為，行政長官擁有緊急權，並闡述了這一論斷的法理依據。澳門科技大學法學院朱世海博士發表了他對香港《緊急情況規例條例》的研究。之後有中南財經政法大學法學院付婧博士討論法治國家的國家緊急權力規制和香港特區行政長官緊急權啟動、行使及規範化。
研討會第二節主要是對行政長官職權的釋義，以基本法第48條為中心展開討論。香港大學專業進修學院常務副院長 盧兆興教授 和香港執業大律師 羅沛然博士 分別對《基本法》第 48 條及其慣例進行了解析和評點。之後，來自北京外國語大學 康玉梅博士 分享了《香港特別行政區基本法》中的行政命令制度：淵源、流變與反思，來自深圳大學法學院 葉海波教授 討論了行政長官決定作證或提供證據權。
研討會第三節是對行政長官的憲制地位與責任進行評論。一國兩制青年論壇創辦人何建宗博士首先從法理地位與政治現實的角度討論行政長官及行政主導，然後由大連海事大學法學院楊曉楠教授發表對中央在特區發出行政指令權的解析。接下來，武漢大學法學院黃明濤博士以香港基本法第43條為中心，分析行政長官述職的制度化。最後由北京大學法學院博士後陳明輝博士就行政長官任免制度作了法教義學分析。
研討會的最後一節為行政長官制度與權力主題發言。香港大學法律學院陳弘毅教授首先討論殖民地時代及回歸後香港行政當局的緊急權，然後由中國人民大學法學院張龑教授論述行政長官應成為特區基本法的在地守護者。之後澳門理工學院許昌教授總結了「一國兩制」澳門經驗及其對香港特區的啟示。最後由香港城市大學法律學院朱國斌教授分享關於進一步落實行政長官的職權問題的研究報告。
會議閉幕總結階段，朱國斌教授代表主辦方對是次會議高度評價，認為它是適時的，有重要現實意義的，討論有理論深度。朱教授最後致感謝辭，感謝所有嘉賓講者和與會者對於是次活動的貢獻。