Agence France Presse

Hong Kong, March 20:

Hong Kong’s chief justice admitted today her government was mistaken in originally ruling the territory’s chief executive must serve a five-year term. Instead, the decision to allow the next chief executive to serve only two years was correct and the change would not damage Hong Kong’s rule of law, Secretary for Justice Elsie Leung said. “I consider that our earlier position was incorrect,” she said in a radio broadcast. “We must therefore admit our mistake and change our view.” Her comments came amid a heated political debate sparked by the abrupt resignation of chief executive Tung Chee-hwa on March 10, two years before his term was complete.

Leung decided, following consultations with Beijing, that Tung’s deputy Donald Tsang should serve until a July election is held and the winning candidate will then serve Tung’s remaining two-year term, instead of the mandated five years. “That position has changed, but for good reasons. Legal issues are rarely black and white. They involve a professional judgment call, made after opposing arguments are weighed in the balance,” she said in regards to the chief executive’s period in office. “To do otherwise would be disrespectful of the rule of law,” she added.