China's top legislature decided December to add two more national laws and a legal explanation to those applying to the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR).

At its ongoing 13th session, the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC) approved a decision adding additional national laws to the Third Annex of the Basic Law of the Macao SAR.

The Basic Law stipulates that excepting those listed in the Third Annex, the national laws are not to be applied in the Macao SAR.

However, it provides that the NPC Standing Committee may add or remove laws that are listed in the Annex after consulting its Macao SAR Basic Law Committee and the government of the Macao SAR.

The Third Annex of the Basic Law, which was approved in 1993, now contains a total of eight national laws ranging from national defense to foreign affairs.

In June 1998, the NPC Standing Committee approved a law on China's special economic zones and continental shelf, and in June 1999, the Macao SAR Garrison Law was approved.

The Preparatory Committee for the Macao SAR has suggested to the NPC Standing Committee that the two laws should be incorporated into the Third Annex.

In addition, the explanation of the implementation of the Chinese Nationality Law in Macao, which was approved by the NPC Standing Committee in December 1998, constitutes part of the

Nationality Law, and should be implemented along with the law, the NPC decided.