CHINA was criticised yesterday by the governor of Hong Kong, Mr Chris Patten, for endorsing the planned cancellation and amendment of a series of civil rights and prodemocracy laws brought in during the last years of Britain's 150 year rule.
The territory's largest political party also criticised China's plans.
On Sunday evening, China's National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee approved by an overwhelming majority a resolution "on the handling of the existing laws of the territory", according to the official xinhua news agency.
One of the annexes to the resolution lists 14 ordinances and subsidiary legislation which Beijing says are not in accordance with the Basic Law - China's new constitution for the British colony which it takes back on July 1st.
They include provision, for democratic elections under which Hong Kong's current legislative council was returned to office in 1996, and several measures to eliminate legislation which had fallen into disuse, restricting some civil liberties.
The ruling was criticised by the Democratic Party, the largest in the Legislative Council. "China's latest move means the die is now very much cast," a spokesman for the party said. "China has shown it is not going to respect the will of Hong Kong people.
"The NPC is a political body making a decision that will remake Hong Kong in blatant breach of handover agreements which say Hong Kong's laws shall remain unchanged."
Mr Patten accused the NPC of turning a deaf ear to the wishes of most Hong Kong people. The decision "casts doubt on the freedoms and autonomy which have been promised to Hong Kong and the rule of law on which they are based," he said. "It will cause legal confusion and invite legal challenge. It is already crystal clear that what the community wants to see is the preservation of Hong Kong's current civil liberties."
A provisional legislature of Beijing approved appointees will take over on July 1st from the Legislative Council - a move which has angered Mr Patten and the Democratic Party.