country, two systems" with a high degree of autonomy.

2. The outcome of the purposive approach in the Court of Final Appeal is to ensure that Hong Kong SAR continues to enjoy a high degree of autonomy (at least for 50 years if not more)

The purposive approach is to give effects to the main objects of Article 158, that of vesting interpretation of the Basic Law, particularly the excluded provisions, in the Standing Committee and that of authorizing the courts of the Region to interpret the non-excluded provisions, in particular to interpret "on their own" the provisions within the limits of the Region's autonomy.

In this premise, in the Ng Ka Ling case, it was concluded that the HKSAR exercising a high degree of autonomy with its different system isof persons entering the Region for settlement shall be determined by the competent authorities of the Central People's Government after consulting the Region's government.

Our conclusion is consistent with the purpose of the Basic Law of establishing the Region under the principle of "one country, two systems" with a high degree of autonomy. It is the responsibility of the Mainland authorities to grant approval to enter the Region to people in the country who are not permanent residents of the Region and to determine the numbers entering for settlement.

The Region exercising a high degree of autonomy with its different system is obliged to admit people who under its constitution are its permanent residents with the constitutional right of abode. In our view, there is no derogation from the Region's