#Secure

The Basic Law – The constitutional document of Hong Kong

Enacted in accordance with the Constitution of the People's Republic of China (PRC), the Basic Law prescribes the systems to be practised in the HKSAR, to ensure the implementation of the basic policies of the PRC regarding Hong Kong, and safeguards the fundamental rights and freedoms of residents.

Laws on safeguarding national security in Hong Kong - The Law of the People's Republic of China on Safeguarding National Security in the HKSAR (NSL) and the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance (SNSO)

The NSL and the SNSO are historical steps to improve the system for Hong Kong to safeguard our country's sovereignty, unity, territorial integrity, security and development interests. It sets out a clear direction for the principle of "one country, two systems" to maintain the stability and prosperity of Hong Kong.

The laws on safeguarding national security in Hong Kong aim to prevent, suppress and impose punishment for acts and activities endangering national security.

The NSL stipulates the following offences:

• Secession

• Subversion

• Organisation and perpetration of terrorist activities

• Collusion with a foreign country or with external elements to endanger national security

The SNSO stipulates the following offences:

• Treason

• Insurrection, Incitement to Mutiny and Disaffection, and Acts with Seditious Intention

• Offences in connection with State Secrets and Espionage

• Sabotage Endangering National Security

• External Interference Endangering National Security and Organizations Engaging in Activities Endangering National Security

The NSL and the SNSO protect the rights and freedoms enjoyed by Hong Kong residents under the Basic Law and the provisions of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.

The Rule of Law - Hong Kong's core value

• Hong Kong's commitment to the rule of law and independent judicial power is key to its prosperity and stability. Under the Basic Law, the HKSAR is vested with independent judicial power, including final adjudication, and the courts shall exercise such power free from any interference.

• All judges are appointed by the Chief Executive based on recommendations from an independent commission of local judges, legal professionals and eminent persons from other sectors. Judges are chosen on the basis of their judicial and professional qualities and may be recruited from other common law jurisdictions. The Court of Final Appeal may call on esteemed judges from other common law jurisdictions to hear final appeals.

• In exercising their judicial powers, all judges are constitutionally required to handle cases strictly in accordance with the law and legal principles.

Global legal hub

• Hong Kong is an internationally respected legal and dispute resolution services centre.

• Effective protection of property rights, including intellectual property rights.

• Arbitral awards made in Hong Kong enforceable in over 170 Contracting States to the New York Convention, Mainland China and Macao under reciprocal enforcement arrangements.

• Hong Kong ranks the 3rd most preferred seat for arbitration globally according to the 2021 International Arbitration Survey by Queen Mary University of London.

International dispute resolution centre

• The Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre handled a total of 500 new dispute resolution cases in 2023. The total amount in dispute in all arbitration cases was US$12.5 billion.

• Since the Arrangement Concerning Mutual Assistance in Court-ordered Interim Measures in Aid of Arbitral Proceedings by the Courts of the Mainland and the HKSAR came into force in October 2019, the PRC courts have made orders preserving assets totalling over RMB15.8 billion (approximately US$2.2 billion) as of the end of 2023.

• Mediation mechanism established under the Mainland and Hong Kong Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement (CEPA) to resolve investment disputes between the two places. Hong Kong and the Mainland respectively designate their own mediation institutions and mediators for the resolution of investment disputes and publish the list of mediation institutions and mediators mutually agreed by both sides.

• Greater Bay Area (GBA) Mediation Platform in Hong Kong, Macao and Guangdong promulgating unified accreditation standards and code of conduct best practice for GBA mediators, as well as the GBA Cross-boundary Disputes Mediation Model Rules. The Working Group on the GBA Mediation Platform further promulgated the local accreditation rules for accreditation of GBA mediators of the 3 places in March 2024.

• The negotiations of the Convention on the Establishment of the International Organization for Mediation (IOMed) concluded in Hong Kong in October 2024. IOMed will be the world's first intergovernmental international organisation dedicated to resolving international disputes through mediation by providing friendly, flexible, economical and efficient mediation services. The signing ceremony of the Convention will be held in Hong Kong in 2025, and upon its entry into force the IOMed Headquarters will be set up in Hong Kong, thereby building the city as the capital for international mediation.

Deep pool of legal talents

Hong Kong's strong legal infrastructure is supported by a deep pool of local and international legal talents with expertise in a wide variety of legal areas and jurisdictions around the world. There are:

Note: Figures as at September 2024

Safe city

Hong Kong has one of the world's lowest overall crime rates.

• 2023 overall crime rate (crimes per 100,000 population) – 1,198

• World No.9 for order and security (World Justice Project: The Rule of Law Index 2024)

Least corrupt

International surveys consistently rate Hong Kong as one of the "least corrupt" places in the world.

• World No.10 for absence of corruption (World Justice Project: The Rule of Law Index 2024).

• The 4th globally and the 1st in Asia-Pacific region for the criteria "Bribery and corruption do not exist" under the factor "Government Efficiency" (International Institute for Management Development: World Competitiveness Yearbook 2024).