Govt: Law Journal's Criticisms 'far From Truth'

The Department of Justice on Saturday criticised an article published in the Asia Business Law Journal concerning uncertainty over the SAR's legal environment, saying it contained unfair criticisms far from the truth.

The department did not identify the article in question in the bi-monthly magazine, which is published in Hong Kong.

In a response to media inquiries, a spokesman for the department pointed out that the preservation of the common law system, including independent judiciary, is explicitly provided in the Basic Law.

He said President Xi Jinping had stressed in his address at the meeting celebrating the 25th anniversary of Hong Kong's return to the motherland on July 1 that "one country, two systems" is a good policy widely accepted by the international community and must be adhered to in the long run.

The spokesman cited the International Arbitration Survey conducted by Queen Mary University of London, which since 2015 had shown that Hong Kong had become one of the top five preferred seats for arbitration globally. In the most recent 2021 survey, Hong Kong was ranked third.

He also pointed to statistics from the Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre showing an increase in the number of arbitration cases.

"It is most critical to note that Hong Kong enjoys a unique advantage in international arbitration that no other jurisdiction can compete, which is the breadth and depth of the mutual legal assistance framework established between the Mainland and Hong Kong," the spokesman added.

"The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government and arbitration institutions in Hong Kong are united in their determination to make Hong Kong an even better seat of arbitration," he added. "We are confident that we will succeed."