Top Legislature Reviews Macao Garrison Law 　　China's highest legislative body April 26 began reviewing the draft law on garrisoning troops in the Macao Special Administrative Region. 　　Explaining the draft, Fu Quanyou, a member of the Central Military Commission (CMC) and Chief of the General Staff of the Chinese Liberation Army, said that concerned departments of the Chinese military extensively discussed the formulation of the draft law, in accordance with the Chinese Constitution, the Basic Law of the Macao Special Administrative Region, and the actual conditions in Macao. 　　The draft law stipulates that the CMC controls the troops garrisoning in Macao and decides the number of troops, in line with the needs of defense, in the projected special administrative region, Fu said. 　　The central government of China will cover all troop expenses in Macao, in which there will be a rotation of officers and soldiers stationed there for defense. 　　According to the draft, the troops in Macao will assume responsibility for meeting any invasion and will protect the region, taking regular defense duties, administering military facilities and carrying out exchanges with foreign militaries. 　　When the NPC Standing Committee declares war, or the regional government in Macao declares a state of emergency, the troops will take responsibility for safeguarding the region according to the Basic Law, the draft says. 　　The draft also stipulates the rights and immunities of the officers and soldiers stationed in Macao. 　　In addition, Fu said that after China takes over sovereignty in Macao from Portugal on December 20, the administrative authorities and the regional troops will no longer belong to each other, and should not meddle in each other's affairs. 　　If needed, the regional government may require military support from the troops for social stability or disaster relief, the draft said. 　　Military judicial organs will deal with cases concerning law offenders within the troops. Any infringements by troops who are off duty on local residents' property will be submitted to the regional judicial authorities, the draft said. 　　China's Supreme People's Court is authorized to deal with civil infringement cases involving on-duty military personnel in the special administrative region. HomeNews 1999-04-27 Page3 Full Story in Chinese