The Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, today (January 11) congratulated the Chief Justice of the Court of Final Appeal, Mr Andrew Cheung Kui-nung, on his assumption of office, and pledged her continued support for the Judiciary.
"The rule of law is the cornerstone of Hong Kong's success, and judicial independence is the linchpin in upholding the rule of law. The Basic Law clearly stipulates that the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) shall enjoy independent judicial power, including that of final adjudication. Our courts shall exercise judicial power independently, free from any interference."
"As the Chief Executive responsible to both the Central People's Government and the HKSAR, I will continue to steadfastly safeguard judicial independence. As I mentioned in my 2020 Policy Address, there is no conflict between an executive-led system and an independent Judiciary."
"The Government has all along been giving full support to the Judiciary to ensure its effective operation. Over the past decade, the Government has acceded to the Judiciary's requests for funding and staffing resources in full. The Government has also made progress in the relocation of the High Court Building and the construction of a new District Court Complex to address the long-term accommodation needs of courts since announcement of these two major capital works projects in the 2017 Policy Address. The Government will continue to provide all the needed support."
"I congratulate Chief Justice Cheung on his assumption of office today. I am confident that, under Chief Justice Cheung's leadership, the Judiciary will continue to be a bulwark of the 'One Country, Two Systems' policy and our judges will continue to safeguard the law and administer justice without fear or favour," Mrs Lam said.
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