Rule of law ‘indispensable’ for Hong Kong’s economic success: top judge

The rule of law is “indispensable” for Hong Kong’s economic success, the top judge has said, warning any damages to the city’s judicial independence will erode the public’s trust in the legal system.

During his speech at a flagship legal forum on Friday, Chief Justice Andrew Cheung Kui-nung said Hong Kong’s impartial administration of justice and adherence to the common law made it attractive for business and investment.

“The rule of law is indispensable for the functioning of any successful economy. It is the precondition for legal certainty, without which no economic actor can confidently plan for the future,” Cheung said on the final day of the Hong Kong Legal Week.

The top judge added that Hong Kong’s common law system, with its emphasis on consistency, clarity and fairness, had provided the stability the city needed to prosper.

But Cheung cautioned that the fair access to and enforcement of an independent judiciary were essential to retaining the public’s trust in the legal system, which could not be “taken for granted”.

“If this independence is compromised, the public’s trust in the administration of justice and by extension the rule of law itself will inevitably be undermined,” Cheung warned.

“This trust, however, does not arise automatically, nor can it be taken for granted. It is fostered and maintained through transparency and accountability.”