法律文本

全國人民代表大會常務委員會關於《中華人民共和國香港特別行政區基本法》第十三條第一款和第十九條的解釋

Interpretation of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress on Paragraph 1, Article 13 and Article 19 of the Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China

（２０１１年８月２６日第十一屆全國人民代表大會常務委員會第二十二次會議通過）

(Adopted at the 22nd session of the Standing Committee of the 11th National People's Congress on August 26, 2011)

第十一屆全國人民代表大會常務委員會第二十二次會議審議了委員長會議關於提請審議《全國人民代表大會常務委員會關於〈中華人民共和國香港特別行政區基本法〉第十三條第一款和第十九條的解釋（草案）》的議案。委員長會議的議案是應香港特別行政區終審法院依據《中華人民共和國香港特別行政區基本法》第一百五十八條第三款的規定提請全國人民代表大會常務委員會解釋《中華人民共和國香港特別行政區基本法》有關規定的報告提出的。

At its 22nd Meeting, the Standing Committee of the Eleventh National People's Congress examined the motion proposed by the Council of Chairmen requesting examination of the Draft Interpretation by the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress Regarding Paragraph 1 of Article 13 and Article 19 of the Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China. The motion of the Council of Chairmen was submitted upon the report by the Court of Final Appeal of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region requesting the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress to interpret the relevant provisions of the Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China, in accordance with the provisions of Paragraph 3, Article 158 of the Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China.

香港特別行政區終審法院在審理一起與剛果民主共和國有關的案件時，涉及香港特別行政區是否應適用中央人民政府決定采取的國家豁免規則或政策的問題。為此，香港特別行政區終審法院依據《中華人民共和國香港特別行政區基本法》第一百五十八條第三款的規定，提請全國人民代表大會常務委員會解釋如下問題：“

The Court of Final Appeal of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region needs to ascertain, in adjudicating a case involving the Democratic Republic of the Congo, whether the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region should apply the rules or policies on state immunity as determined by the Central People's Government. For this purpose, in accordance with the provisions of Paragraph 3, Article 158 of the Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China, the Court of Final Appeal of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, requests the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress to make an interpretation of the following questions: "

（１）根據第十三條第一款的真正解釋，中央人民政府是否有權力決定中華人民共和國的國家豁免規則或政策；

(1) whether on the true interpretation of Paragraph 1, Article 13, the Central People's Government has the power to determine the rule or policy of the People's Republic of China on state immunity;

（２）如有此權力的話，根據第十三條第一款和第十九條的真正解釋，香港特別行政區（‘香港特區’）（包括香港特區的法院）是否：①有責任援用或實施中央人民政府根據第十三條第一款所決定的國家豁免規則或政策；或②反之，可隨意偏離中央人民政府根據第十三條第一款所決定的國家豁免規則或政策，並采取一項不同的規則；

(2) if so empowered, is the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (‘HKSAR’) (including the courts of the HKSAR), in the true interpretation of paragraph 1 of Article 13 and Article 19: (i) responsible for the application or enforcement of a rule or policy on state immunity determined by the Central People’s Government in accordance with paragraph 1 of Article 13; or (ii) conversely, liable for arbitrary deviation from a rule or policy on state immunity determined by the Central People’s Government in accordance with paragraph 1 of Article 13, by a different rule;

（３）中央人民政府決定國家豁免規則或政策是否屬於《基本法》第十九條第三款第一句中所說的‘國防、外交等國家行為’；以及

(3) whether the determination by the Central People's Government as to the rule or policy on state immunity falls within 'acts of state such as defence and foreign affairs' in the first sentence of Paragraph 3, Article 19 of the Basic Law; and

（４）香港特區成立後，第十三條第一款、第十九條和香港作為中華人民共和國的特別行政區的地位，對香港原有（即１９９７年７月１日之前）的有關國家豁免的普通法（如果這些法律與中央人民政府根據第十三條第一款所決定的國家豁免規則或政策有抵觸）所帶來的影響，是否令到這些普通法法律，須按照《基本法》第八條和第一百六十條及於１９９７年２月２３日根據第一百六十條作出的《全國人民代表大會常務委員會的決定》的規定，在適用時作出必要的變更、適應、限制或例外，以確保關於這方面的普通法符合中央人民政府所決定的國家豁免規則或政策。”香港特別行政區終審法院上述提請解釋的做法符合《中華人民共和國香港特別行政區基本法》第一百五十八條第三款的規定。

(4) After the establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, the provisions of paragraph 1 of Article 13, Article 19 and the status of Hong Kong as a Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China which affect pre-existing Hong Kong (that is, before 1 July 1997) common law in respect of state immunity (to the extent that these laws are in conflict with rules or policies on state immunity as determined by the Central People's Government in accordance with paragraph 1 of Article 13) and whether or not these common law laws shall be applied with such modifications, adaptations, limitations or exceptions as may be necessary in accordance with the provisions of Articles 8 and 160 of the Basic Law and the Decision of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress taken on 23 February 1997 in accordance with Article 160 of the Basic Law in order to ensure that general law in respect thereof is in conformity with the rules or policies on state immunity as determined by the Central People's Government. "The above request for interpretation by the Court of Final Appeal of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region complies with the provisions of Paragraph 3, Article 158 of the Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China.

根據《中華人民共和國憲法》第六十七條第（四）項和《中華人民共和國香港特別行政區基本法》第一百五十八條的規定，並征詢全國人民代表大會常務委員會香港特別行政區基本法委員會的意見，全國人民代表大會常務委員會就香港特別行政區終審法院提請解釋的《中華人民共和國香港特別行政區基本法》第十三條第一款和第十九條的規定以及相關問題，作如下解釋：

In accordance with Subparagraph (4), Article 67 of the Constitution of the People's Republic of China and Article 158 of the Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China, and after consulting the Committee for the Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region under the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, in relation to the request for interpretation by the Court of Final Appeal of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, hereby makes the following interpretation of the provisions of Paragraph 1, Article 13 and Article 19 of the Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China, and related questions:

一、關於香港特別行政區終審法院提請解釋的第（１）個問題。依照《中華人民共和國憲法》第八十九條第（九）項的規定，國務院即中央人民政府行使管理國家對外事務的職權，國家豁免規則或政策屬於國家對外事務中的外交事務範疇，中央人民政府有權決定中華人民共和國的國家豁免規則或政策，在中華人民共和國領域內統一實施。基於上述，根據《中華人民共和國香港特別行政區基本法》第十三條第一款關於“中央人民政府負責管理與香港特別行政區有關的外交事務”的規定，管理與香港特別行政區有關的外交事務屬於中央人民政府的權力，中央人民政府有權決定在香港特別行政區適用的國家豁免規則或政策。

I. On question (1) on which an interpretation is sought by the Court of Final Appeal of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. According to Subparagraph (9), Article 89 of the Constitution of the People's Republic of China, the State Council as the Central People's Government exercises the function and power to conduct the foreign affairs of the State; as the rules or policies on state immunity fall within the scope of foreign affairs in the foreign affairs of the State, the Central People's Government has the power to determine the rules or policies of the People's Republic of China on state immunity to be implemented uniformly within the territory of the People's Republic of China. Based on the above, in accordance with the provisions of Paragraph 1, Article 13 of the Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China that "[t] he Central People's Government shall be responsible for the foreign affairs relating to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region", the conduct of the foreign affairs relating to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region falls within the power of the Central People's Government.

二、關於香港特別行政區終審法院提請解釋的第（２）個問題。依照《中華人民共和國香港特別行政區基本法》第十三條第一款和本解釋第一條的規定，中央人民政府有權決定在香港特別行政區適用的國家豁免規則或政策；依照《中華人民共和國香港特別行政區基本法》第十九條和本解釋第三條的規定，香港特別行政區法院對中央人民政府決定國家豁免規則或政策的行為無管轄權。因此，香港特別行政區法院在審理案件時遇有外國國家及其財產管轄豁免和執行豁免問題，須適用和實施中央人民政府決定適用於香港特別行政區的國家豁免規則或政策。基於上述，根據《中華人民共和國香港特別行政區基本法》第十三條第一款和第十九條的規定，香港特別行政區，包括香港特別行政區法院，有責任適用或實施中央人民政府決定采取的國家豁免規則或政策，不得偏離上述規則或政策，也不得采取與上述規則或政策不同的規則。

II、 On question (2) on which an interpretation is sought by the Court of Final Appeal of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. According to the provisions of Paragraph 1, Article 13 of the Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China and Article 1 of this Interpretation, the Central People's Government has the power to determine the rules or policies on state immunity to be applied in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. According to the provisions of Article 19 of the Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China and Article 3 of this Interpretation, the courts of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region have no jurisdiction over the act of the Central People's Government in determining the rules or policies on state immunity. Therefore, when questions of immunity from jurisdiction and immunity from execution of foreign states and their property arise in the adjudication of cases, the courts of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region must apply and give effect to the rules or policies on state immunity determined by the Central People's Government as being applicable to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. Based on the above, in accordance with the provisions of Paragraph 1, Article 13 and Article 19 of the Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, including the courts of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, is under a duty to apply or give effect to the rules or policies on state immunity that the Central People's Government has determined, and must not depart from the above rules or policies nor adopt a rule that is different from the above rules or policies.

三、關於香港特別行政區終審法院提請解釋的第（３）個問題。國家豁免涉及一國法院對外國國家及其財產是否擁有管轄權，外國國家及其財產在一國法院是否享有豁免，直接關系到該國的對外關系和國際權利與義務。因此，決定國家豁免規則或政策是一種涉及外交的國家行為。基於上述，《中華人民共和國香港特別行政區基本法》第十九條第三款規定的“國防、外交等國家行為”包括中央人民政府決定國家豁免規則或政策的行為。

III、 On question (3) on which an interpretation is sought by the Court of Final Appeal of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. State immunity concerns whether the courts of a state have jurisdiction over foreign states and their properties and whether foreign states and their properties enjoy immunity in the courts of a state, which has a direct bearing on the state's external relations and international rights and obligations. Thus, the determination of a rule or policy of State immunity is a State act involving diplomacy. Based on the above, "acts of state such as defence and foreign affairs" as stipulated in Paragraph 3, Article 19 of the Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China includes the act of the Central People's Government in determining the rule or policy on state immunity.

四、關於香港特別行政區終審法院提請解釋的第（４）個問題。依照《中華人民共和國香港特別行政區基本法》第八條和第一百六十條的規定，香港原有法律只有在不抵觸《中華人民共和國香港特別行政區基本法》的情況下才予以保留。根據《全國人民代表大會常務委員會關於根據〈中華人民共和國香港特別行政區基本法〉第一百六十條處理香港原有法律的決定》第四條的規定，采用為香港特別行政區法律的香港原有法律，自１９９７年７月１日起，在適用時，應作出必要的變更、適應、限制或例外，以符合中華人民共和國對香港恢複行使主權後香港的地位和《基本法》的有關規定。香港特別行政區作為中華人民共和國一個享有高度自治權的地方行政區域，直轄於中央人民政府，必須執行中央人民政府決定的國家豁免規則或政策。香港原有法律中有關國家豁免的規則必須符合上述規定才能在１９９７年７月１日後繼續適用。基於上述，根據《中華人民共和國香港特別行政區基本法》第十三條第一款和第十九條的規定，依照《全國人民代表大會常務委員會關於根據〈中華人民共和國香港特別行政區基本法〉第一百六十條處理香港原有法律的決定》采用為香港特別行政區法律的香港原有法律中有關國家豁免的規則，從１９９７年７月１日起，在適用時，須作出必要的變更、適應、限制或例外，以符合中央人民政府決定采取的國家豁免規則或政策。

IV、 On question (4) on which an interpretation is sought by the Court of Final Appeal of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. According to the provisions of Articles 8 and 160 of the Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China, the laws previously in force in Hong Kong shall be maintained only if they do not contravene the Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China. In accordance with the provisions of Article 4 of the Decision of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress on Treatment of the Laws Previously in Force in Hong Kong in accordance with Article 160 of the Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China, such of the laws previously in force in Hong Kong which have been adopted as the laws of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region shall, as from 1 July 1997, be applied subject to such modifications, adaptations, limitations or exceptions as are necessary so as to bring them into conformity with the status of Hong Kong after resumption by the People's Republic of China of the exercise of sovereignty over Hong Kong as well as to be in conformity with the relevant provisions of the Basic Law. The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, as a local administrative region of the People's Republic of China that enjoys a high degree of autonomy and comes directly under the Central People's Government, must give effect to the rules or policies on state immunity as determined by the Central People's Government. The laws previously in force in Hong Kong relating to the rules on state immunity may continue to be applied after 1 July 1997 only if they comply with the above requirements. Based on the above, in accordance with the provisions of Paragraph 1, Article 13 and Article 19 of the Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China, and in accordance with the Decision of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress on Treatment of the Laws Previously in Force in Hong Kong in accordance with Article 160 of the Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China, the rules on state immunity in the laws previously in force in Hong Kong which have been adopted as the laws of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region shall, as of 1 July 1997, be applied subject to such modifications, adaptations, limitations or exceptions as are necessary so as to be consistent with the rules or policies on state immunity that the Central People's Government has determined.

現予公告。

It is hereby announced.