China official dispels idea of separation of powers in HK

Hong Kong

CHINA'S top official in Hong Kong has dispelled the notion of a separation of powers in the city and said the chief executive has authority over the executive, judiciary and legislature branches. In a speech titled The Correct Understanding of Hong Kong's Political System," Zhang Xiaoming, head of the city's central government liaison office, said he picked the controversial topic to discuss in order to tackle the issue head on.

"It should be clear that Hong Kong does not implement the political system of separation of powers," he said at an event commemorating the Basic Law, the city's mini-constitution. "It didn't before the reunification, nor does it after the reunification."