Background
The existing Constitution of the People's Republic of China (the Constitution) was adopted at the Fifth Session of the Fifth National People's Congress on 4 December 1982. The Constitution is the fundamental and supreme law of the state. As an important symbol and sign of the nation, it has the highest legal status, legal authority, as well as legal effect.
The Constitution is the "root" and "origin" of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR). Article 31 of the Constitution stipulates that "The state may establish special administrative regions when necessary". Article 62 of the Constitution also stipulates that the National People's Congress shall exercise the power to decide on the establishment of special administrative regions and the systems to be instituted there. It is based on the stipulations from the Constitution that the HKSAR is established. The Constitution gives the legislative backing and source of power for the Basic Law, and provides a solid legal basis and constitutional framework to the basic policies of "one country, two systems", "Hong Kong people administering Hong Kong" and a high degree of autonomy.
With the aim of enhancing public awareness of the Constitution, promoting its spirit, strengthening its implementation and advancing China’s overall law-based governance, the Standing Committee of the Twelfth National People’s Congress decided in November 2014 to designate 4 December as the “Constitution Day” and that the nation will conduct promotion and education activities of the Constitution through multiple channels.
2023 Constitution Day Seminar
Please click here to revisit the Seminar (Chinese only)
To deepen public understanding of the constitutional basis of Hong Kong, the HKSAR Government and the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the HKSAR co-organised a seminar (the Seminar) on 4 December 2023, with the Endeavour Education Centre being the supporting organisation.
In the Report to the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China delivered in 2022, President Xi Jinping states that the country’s central task at present is to lead the Chinese people of all ethnic groups in a concerted effort to realise the Second Centenary Goal of building China into a great modern socialist country in all respects, and to advance the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation on all fronts through a Chinese path to modernisation. The Constitution is the fundamental law of the state and the overall guiding principle for governance. In the process of advancing Chinese modernisation and the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, the safeguard provided by the Constitution as well as the long-term prosperity and stability of Hong Kong is indispensable. This year’s Seminar was conducted on the theme of “The Constitution and Chinese Modernisation” to actively explore in building a great China and advancing Chinese modernisation, how Hong Kong can contribute to the country and dovetail with the national strategies for better integration into the overall national development.
Comprising a keynote speech and a panel discussion, the Seminar was held at the venue and was livestreamed online for real-time viewing by members of the public. Details are as follows:
| Date: | 4 December 2023 (Monday) |
| Time: | 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 noon |
| Theme: | The Constitution and Chinese Modernisation |
| Programme | |||||||
| Welcome remarks by Mr John Lee Ka-chiu, GBM, SBS, PDSM, PMSM Chief Executive of the HKSAR |
View Video (Chinese only) Speech (Chinese only) |
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| Welcome remarks by Mr Zheng Yanxiong Director of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the HKSAR |
View Video (Chinese only) Speech (Chinese only) |
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| Keynote Speech by Mr Zhang Xiang Professor, Peking University Law School |
View Video (Chinese only) Speech (Chinese only) |
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Panel Discussion
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View Video (Chinese only) | ||||||