Jerome A. Cohen
While it’s possible that the statement just issued by the spokesperson of the National People’s Congress Standing Committee’s Legal Work Committee is merely designed to test the reactions in Hong Kong and elsewhere, that could have been done less riskily by Xinhua or various PRC media. This is rather official and seems to forecast NPCSC action invalidating the Hong Kong Court decision, which would be incendiary. It may be designed simply to warn all about what is to come as soon as the NPCSC’s ducks can be placed in order and to soften the severe public shock by anticipating it.
There is the curious final sentence stating that the legal work committee is studying the opinions and proposals put forth by some NPC delegates. This may only mean NPCSC deliberations are underway but it might leave open the way to forestall or avoid an invalidating NPCSC interpretation if reactions to the spokesperson’s announcement are severe enough.