I Grenville Cross (Honorary Professor)
Australian Journal of Asian Law
2016, Vol. 17, No. 2, article 13
If, as Harold Wilson once said, ‘a week is a long time in politics’, three years in the life of the Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region must rank as an eternity. Much has happened since the publication of Danny Gittings’ acclaimed Introduction to the Hong Kong Basic Law in 2013, and the arrival of the second edition is welcome. As Hong Kong has become more polarised, so the search for answers has led people back to the Basic Law, with the mini-constitution being widely debated in legal and political circles, as well as within the wider population. This, of course, is no bad thing, provided the discussion is informed, which is where Gittings comes in. At the outset, Gittings indicates that, although his text is intended to help students, its reach is actually ‘far wider’. He has provided not only a helpful guide to the Basic Law but also an incisive analysis of the many issues it has generated. Anyone wishing to understand how Hong Kong operates these days would be well advised to consult it. Gittings comprehensively traverses legal, political and governmental questions, with nothing of relevance left untouched. It is a huge bonus that the text can also be readily understood by the man in the street and anyone unfamiliar with the subject... Click here to read the full review.
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