AFTER FIVE YEARS as Hong Kong's top judge, Chief Justice Andrew Li Kwok-nang might be forgiven for having lost some of his enthusiasm for the job.
Soon after taking up the post, he declared his mission was to maintain an independent Judiciary which would uphold the rule of law and protect people's rights.
He could not have predicted the extent to which those aims would soon be put to the test, enduring a constitutional crisis in 1999 after a controversial ruling in favour of abode seekers.
In an interview with the South China Morning Post this week, Mr Justice Li insisted his mission had not been thrown off course, and his appetite for the job remained as keen as ever.
The 53-year-old former Executive Council member and successful barrister reacted with incredulity when reminded of suggestions, at the height of the controversy, that he might resign. 'It never crossed my mind to give up at such an early stage. I was doing my job, discharging my duty to decide according to the law,' he said.
It is difficult to assess the state of Hong Kong's legal system without considering the impact of the right-of-abode affair. The initial ruling, in January 1999, prompted a barrage of criticism from experts in the mainland and from pro-Beijing commentators in Hong Kong. It was seen by some as a challenge by the court to the authority of the National People's Congress.
But Mr Justice Li, who has rarely spoken publicly about the controversy, said he and his fellow judges took the attacks in their stride.