Hong Kong must highlight its judicial independence to assure international community, former justice minister Rimsky Yuen says
Recent political arguments have left countries such as the United States and Singapore labouring under misconception that the city has lost some of its autonomy
Two former senior Hong Kong officials have urged authorities to highlight the city’s judicial independence under Beijing’s “one country, two systems” principle, as there have been “misconceptions” internationally regarding the local legal system.
The advice, from former justice chief Rimsky Yuen Kwok-keung SC, and former financial chief Antony Leung Kam-chung, came as the political discourse on Hong Kong focused on the importance of national identity and sovereignty.
Hong Kong was guaranteed a high degree of autonomy as part of the handover to China in 1997.
Yuen dismissed such ideas as “misconceptions” and stressed his position that Hong Kong enjoyed judicial independence, and all lawsuits were handled professionally despite the city being part of China.