Law Society Head Pledges To Promote HK's Rule Of Law

The president of the Law Society, Chan Chak-ming, said on Tuesday that he is planning to conduct more overseas visits in his coming term, to “clarify misunderstandings” about Hong Kong’s rule of law and the city’s judicial system.

Chan made the remarks after he was re-elected the leader of the body. He said the SAR’s international reputation had somewhat been tarnished in recent years, and the council of the Law Society has the responsibility to help correct any misconceptions about the city’s judicial system.

“I intend to go out more. To travel internationally, to attend international conferences, to explain how it works, i.e., there is a system in place to make sure the defendants’ rights are protected,” he said.

“If a defendant is not satisfied with the outcome of a judgment, there’s a very established mechanism for him or her to appeal.”

Chan said Hong Kong should cherish its characteristic as the only common law jurisdiction within China.

He added the fact that there are foreign judges sitting on the Court of Final Appeal as non-permanent judges is a manifestation of their confidence in the city’s rule of law.