A trial in Hong Kong of the founder of the Apple Daily newspaper has been postponed after the territory's government asked for Beijing's view on whether the defendant should be allowed to hire an overseas lawyer.

The issue revolves around the participation of the UK-based lawyer in the High Court trial of Jimmy Lai, the founder of the now-defunct pro-democracy newspaper.

Lai is charged with violating China's national security law for Hong Kong by colluding with foreign forces.

Hong Kong's High Court and Court of Final Appeal approved Lai's choice of the lawyer. But the government's judicial authorities oppose the selection.

On Monday, Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee asked the Standing Committee of China's National People's Congress for a legal interpretation concerning the matter.

In response to the government's action, the High Court has postponed the trial, which was scheduled to start on Thursday.

Concerns are growing that overturning of the Hong Kong courts' decisions by the mainland committee could further erode the territory's judiciary independence that is supposedly protected under the "one country, two systems" framework.