Hong Kong Justice Secretary Elsie Leung talks to journalists upon her arrival at the Beijing Capital Airport February 12. Hong Kong leader Tung Chee-hwa ordered Leung to Beijing to handle the row over a January ruling by Hong Kong's Court of Final Appeal. The ruling gave children of Hong Kong permanent residents the right to live in the territory, opening the way for an influx of children born in the mainland into Hong Kong. China saw the ruling as infringing on its sovereighty and the right of its parliament to interpret Hong Kong's Basic Law, the post-colonial constitution.

ASW/JDP