Justice chief vows to uphold rule of law
Hong Kong’s new legal chief Teresa Cheng Yeuk-wah on Friday said her top priority in the new role is to uphold the rule of law.
She made the pledge at a press conference shortly after the State Council approved the recommendation of Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor to appoint Cheng as the city’s new secretary for justice.
Cheng will assume her new post today (Saturday), succeeding incumbent Rimsky Yuen Kwok-keung, who decided to leave the civil service for personal reasons.
Cheng — Hong Kong’s second female justice chief since the handover — stressed that her prime mission is to uphold the rule of law in Hong Kong.
A justice chief should also be responsible for protecting public interests and ensuring criminal prosecutions are carried out without interference, she said.
Cheng, an arbitration expert, stressed that “one country, two systems” is “the most suitable and most favorable” constitutional arrangement for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.
However, she acknowledged Hong Kong has encountered some “unprecedented legal challenges” in implementing the principle.
Describing “one country, two systems” as an innovative constitutional arrangement in unitary states, Cheng said she understood that people may have different views towards it but urged members of the community to make a rational analysis.
“(I believe) if we insist on applying legal principles, objectively and rationally analyze the Basic Law, which is promulgated by the National People’s Congress in accordance with the Constitution of the People’s Republic of China, we will ultimately arrive at the same legal conclusion,” she said.
Cheng expressed her gratitude to the chief executive and the central government for nominating and appointing her to this important post. Having served the public in various fields for years, she promised to continue serving the city with confidence, faith and her professional knowledge and experience.
Lam described Cheng as a “high achiever” in the legal profession who had been “very active” in public service over the years. She is confident Cheng is qualified for the new post.
In Beijing, Director of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council Zhang Xiaoming joined Lam in recognizing Cheng’s qualities. He said Cheng loves the country and Hong Kong, and enjoys a high reputation in the city’s legal sector.
Zhang believed Cheng has every quality to be the new justice chief of the Hong Kong SAR Government.
Lam also praised Yuen for his “outstanding performance” during the past fiveand-a-half years, calling him a “pillar of strength” in upholding the rule of law in Hong Kong.
She thanked Yuen for his full commitment to the country and Hong Kong, his passion for his work and as a colleague who is respected and loved by everyone.
Legislators and government officials expressed confidence in new Secretary for Justice Teresa Cheng Yeukwah following her appointment on Friday, believing she is competent for the new position, having proven herself to be a professional and rational figure.
They also anticipated the new justice chief would make the most of her experience to help the government address a wide range of legal issues at hand.
These include legislating the National Anthem Law and the co-location arrangement for customs and immigration control at the West Kowloon terminus of the high-speed rail connecting Hong Kong with Guangzhou and Shenzhen.
Bernard Charnwut Chan, convener of the chief executive’s de facto cabinet — the Executive Council — noted that through previous encounters with Cheng, he observed that she has been “fair and professional” at work. Her leadership skills and political wisdom also impressed him.
Chan said he was told the city’s legal sector generally has no doubt about Cheng’s capability. Therefore, he believes she would be qualified as the city’s justice chief.
Echoing Chan, fellow ExCo member and also senior counsel Ronny Tong Ka-wah described Cheng as a “mild, low-keyed, yet tough figure” who would exert her utmost efforts to fight for her point.
While applauding Cheng’s rich experience in arbitration and mediation, Tong dismissed skepticism that her lack of experience in criminal law would affect her performance. Tong said he did not see any problem as Cheng would not work alone but with experts from the Department of Justice.
Tong hoped that Cheng will engage more with the public in explaining legal decisions that involve public interests, in addition to helping Hong Kong become an arbitration hub under the Belt and Road Initiative.
Lawmaker and Barrister Priscilla Leung Mei-fun said she felt glad for Cheng’s new appointment. Cheng’s rich experience in international arbitration and handling legal disputes between various parties would contribute to pressing ahead with legislation on the National Anthem Law and co-location arrangement, Leung added.
Starry Lee Wai-king, legislator and chairwoman of the city’s largest political party — the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong — hoped that Cheng would enforce the Basic Law and help in fully and accurately implementing “one country, two systems”.