Legal authorities in Beijing believed the court overstepped its bounds by asserting its right to "declare invalid" NPC legislation that it deems to have contravened Hong Kong's Basic Law.

CNN: COOLING A COURT CRISIS

Two days earlier, the parliament voted to declare the election invalid though it did not formally have the power to do so, its vote may influence the Supreme Court's decision.

ECONOMIST: Edging towards a solution | The

Unfortunately, the wording submitted to the attorney-general differed from the language used to gather signatures for the initiative, allowing Mr Lockyer, supported last month by a superior court judge, to declare the redistricting initiative invalid.

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It said the Philippines wants the tribunal to declare China's nine-dash line invalid.

BBC: Philippines 'to take South China Sea row to court'

In a statement, he said China had "interfered with the lawful exercise by the Philippines of its rights within its legitimate maritime zones" and that the Philippines wants the tribunal to declare China's so-called "nine-dash line" invalid.

BBC: China reiterates islands claim after Philippine UN move