Magna Carta history can teach Hongkongers how to preserve the rule of law, British envoy says

Hongkongers can learn how to preserve the rule of law by looking at the history of Magna Carta, according to the British consul general in the city.

The historic legal document, first drawn up 800 years ago as a peace treaty between the English King John and a group of rebel barons, is on display in Hong Kong as part of an exhibition that lasts until Saturday.

"Magna Carta is part of your shared heritage - our shared common law traditions," said Caroline Wilson at yesterday's launch of the exhibition at Sotheby's gallery in Admiralty.

READ MORE: Transcendent: the word at the heart of a battle to define Hong Kong’s political system

Asked about the significance of the document coming to Hong Kong at a time when there is renewed debate about the rule of law, Wilson said: "I think controversy about the rule of law is nothing new. There was also lots of controversy 800 years ago."

In September, Beijing's liaison office director, Zhang Xiaoming , sparked concern about the rule of law when he said the chief executive was in a "special legal position that transcends" the judiciary and other branches of the government.w people preserved the rule of law."

Also known as the Great Charter, the document established the principle that everybody, including the sovereign, is subject to the law. The most famous clause declares that no free man shall be imprisoned without trial by his equals or by the law of the land, and that no one shall be denied justice.