A senior official overseeing Hong Kong affairs pledged on Thursday that the central government will uphold the dignity, lawful rights and interests of Hong Kong judges, alongside expressing his firm support for the city’s judicial independence and the rule of law.
Xia Baolong, director of the Hong Kong and Macao Work Office of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made these commitments in light of increasing external attacks on the special administrative region’s legal system. Some critics targeted the judiciary, following the implementation of the city’s national security laws and the subsequent conviction of individuals charged under these statutes.
During a meeting in Beijing with Horace Cheung Kwok-kwan, Hong Kong’s deputy secretary for justice, Xia lauded the city’s well-established reputation for the rule of law, attributing its accomplishments to the dedication of the entire legal community, including judges at all levels.
He affirmed the judges’ significant role in upholding the rule of law, justice, and national security in the city, praising them for administering justice “without fear or favor, self-interest or deceit”.
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Xia’s remarks echo broad sentiment among local officials, in legal circles, and the community, who voiced support for judges continuing to uphold the rule of law despite the pressure
“(They) have demonstrated their determination to safeguard the fundamental interests of the country and the Hong Kong SAR, the ‘one country, two systems’ principle, and the rule of law. This deserves full recognition,” Xia said.
“We have every confidence that the judicial and legal sectors in Hong Kong will work together to uphold the rule of law and diligently contribute to the order and prosperity of Hong Kong,” Xia said.
Xia’s remarks echo broad sentiment among local officials, in legal circles, and the community, who voiced support for judges continuing to uphold the rule of law despite the pressure.
The attacks on Hong Kong’s legal system came after the city stepped up its efforts to safeguard national security, including the enactment of the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance in March, and enforcement of the National Security Law for Hong Kong, which, on May 30, saw 14 individuals convicted for their parts in a 2020 “primary election” confirmed by the court as a plot to overthrow the SAR governance.
On Monday, British judge Jonathan Sumption, who resigned from the city’s Court of Final Appeal last week, questioned the High Court’s rulings. In an op-ed, he claimed his former colleagues “have lost sight of their traditional role as defenders of the liberty of the subject”.
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In a statement rejecting Sumption’s comments on Thursday, a spokesperson for the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the HKSAR stressed that, “The rule of law and the judiciary in Hong Kong are not open to defamation.”
Sumption’s baseless accusations against the judiciary are a serious departure from his oath taken as a nonpermanent overseas judge, and from his expected integrity and professionalism, the spokesperson said.
They expose his willingness to be co-opted as an instrument of a British political scheme to undermine Hong Kong’s security and stability.
“We urge the British government and politicians to immediately stop this hideous interference in China’s internal affairs and in the affairs of Hong Kong, or they will end up being the laughingstock of the international community,” the spokesperson said.
In a separate statement, a spokesperson for the Commissioner’s Office of the Chinese Foreign Ministry in the HKSAR condemned Sumption’s remarks, labeling them a “lack of professionalism and integrity (that) will eventually become a stain on his life”.
The office voiced its support for judges in performing their legal duties, and pledged to counter any malicious threats or intimidation from external forces.
