CE vows to uphold rule of law to scale new heights

International ratings show that the rule of law has been continuously improving in Hong Kong since the handover in 1997, and the Hong Kong government will continue to ensure that the special administrative region's legal system serves as a role model, Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor said on Thursday.

She made the remarks at the Vision 2030 for Rule of Law International Symposium, one of a series of events celebrating the 25th anniversary of Hong Kong's return to the motherland.

Lam said the rule of law is the cornerstone and core value of Hong Kong's success, and the Basic Law protects Hong Kong's human rights and the independence of the judiciary.

She said that before the handover, Hong Kong's rule of law scored only 69.85 in the Worldwide Governance Indicators project of the World Bank Group, but since 2003, the indicator has remained above 90.

As Hong Kong is the nation's only region to practice common law, it has been a popular choice for many international corporations to develop legal and dispute resolution services.

At the same conference, Liu Guangyuan, commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, said the rule of law is the "engine" of the successful practice of "one country, two systems", and the city must firmly safeguard constitutional order to ensure the practice moves forward steadily and on the right track.

Hong Kong experienced the most difficult time since the handover in recent years, with the city hit by social unrest and the pandemic. The National Security Law for Hong Kong and the improvements made to the electoral system plugged legal loopholes, moving Hong Kong from chaos to order, Liu said.

Describing the rule of law as the "bond" for Hong Kong to integrate into national development, Liu said he hopes the city will keep consolidating its advantage in this area. He also said he believes that with the nation's support, the city's edge in legal areas will be further highlighted.

The all-day forum, held by the Department of Justice and local legal groups, invited scholars from the mainland and many overseas countries and regions to discuss the rule of law's importance in different aspects.

To improve Hong Kong's status as an international legal and dispute resolution services hub, a new arbitration center was opened on Wednesday at the Shanghai Commercial Bank Tower in Central.

The center, one of six regional centers of the Asian-African Legal Consultative Organization, aims to provide broader and more affordable services to Asian and African countries and regions.