The new Chief Justice of the Court of Final Appeal, Andrew Cheung Kui-nung, left, was sworn in at Government House on Jan 11, 2021. (PHOTO / HKSAR GOVERNMENT)

Hong Kong’s new Chief Justice of the Court of Final Appeal Andrew Cheung Kui-nung was sworn in on Monday, vowing to maintain judicial independence and safeguard the rule of law.

When being sworn in as Geoffrey Ma Tao-li’s successor, Cheung said he looked forward to taking forth a professional and efficient judiciary that moves with the times, a judiciary that administers justice in full accordance with the law, without fear or favor, self-interest or deceit.

Administrating the oath-taking ceremony, Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor expressed confidence that Cheung will lead the judiciary to continue to be a bulwark of the “one country, two systems” policy. She is also confident that the city’s judges will continue to safeguard the law and administer justice without fear or favor.

Andrew Cheung Kui-nung, Hong Kong's new Chief Justice of the Court of Final Appeal, delivers a speech at the opening ceremony of the Legal Year 2021at Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition on Jan 11, 2021. (CALVIN NG/CHINA DAILY)

Administrating the oath-taking ceremony, Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor expressed confidence that Cheung will lead the judiciary to continue to be a bulwark of the “one country, two systems” policy. She is also confident that the city’s judges will continue to safeguard the law and administer justice without fear or favor

On Monday afternoon, Cheung delivered a speech at the opening ceremony of the Legal Year 2021, in which he outlined three fundamentals he believes the judiciary should be committed to.

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Cheung stressed that the judiciary must maintain its independence and impartiality, which is guaranteed by the Basic Law and of great importance to Hong Kong’s international reputation. 

Any attempt to exert undue pressure on judges by means such as threats of violence or doxxing, are “reprehensible” and “futile”, Cheung said. 

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Cheung’s remarks came as the city has seen increasing doxxing and threats against legal officers since the prolonged social unrest of 2019. In the latest incident which occurred in December last year, Victor So Wai-tak, a magistrate who denied bail to media tycoon Jimmy Lai Chee-ying in a fraud case, reportedly received a bomb threat to kill his family. So’s personal information, including his address and phone number, earlier was leaked online.

Cheung also underlined that judges must be faithful to their judicial oaths and determined to enforce the public’s fundamental rights. The top judge also vowed to improve the judicial organ’s efficiency and accelerate the digitalization of legal procedures.