CE thanks Beijing for adding interpretation to agenda
Chief Executive John Lee has thanked the country's top legislative body for including in its meeting agenda a motion to interpret the SAR's national security law. The National People's Congress Standing Committee (NPCSC) on Tuesday received an explanation from Xia Baolong, the director of the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office, regarding Hong Kong's request for a security law interpretation. The SAR made the request a month ago, seeking clarification as to whether overseas barristers are allowed to take part in national security cases if they do not have full qualifications to practise in Hong Kong.  This came after the city's top court refused to ban a British barrister from representing former media mogul Jimmy Lai at his national security trial. In a statement, Lee thanked the central authorities and said he would "earnestly" await the outcome of the NPCSC's deliberations.