Hong Kong’s ranking in the 2024 World Justice Project Rule of Law Index remained unchanged as it continued to rank sixth in East Asia and the Pacific, and was placed 23rd out of 142 countries and jurisdictions globally, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government said today.

In a statement responding to media enquiries, the Hong Kong SAR Government said Hong Kong remained high in the overall ranking and continued to be ahead of some European and American countries which often unreasonably criticise Hong Kong's rule of law and human rights situation.

It said the city climbed one place in the global rankings in respect of Regulatory Enforcement, and Civil Justice, while in respect of Open Government, Hong Kong continued to maintain last year’s score and global ranking, clearly demonstrating that it has a comprehensive regulatory enforcement mechanism and civil justice system under “one country, two systems”.

The continuous improvements in these areas are conducive to the construction of the rule of law and the business environment, which consolidate and enhance Hong Kong’s “eight centres” positioning under the National 14th Five-Year Plan.

Hong Kong’s score in respect of Absence of Corruption was higher than last year and ranked 10th globally, showing that it remains one of the most corruption-free places in the world and that the effectiveness of its anti-corruption efforts has been recognised internationally.

The Hong Kong SAR Government will continue to promote the exchange of anti-corruption experience among experts and scholars from Hong Kong, the Mainland and overseas, thereby strengthening Hong Kong’s international status in integrity building and further contributing to the national and global anti-corruption cause.

The city's scores and global rankings slightly dropped in relation to Constraints on Government Powers, Fundamental Rights, Order & Security, and Criminal Justice. However, its rankings in East Asia and the Pacific remained almost unchanged, reflecting the successful implementation of the “one country, two systems” principle in Hong Kong, as well as the effectiveness of the National Security Law, the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance and other relevant laws of the Hong Kong SAR in safeguarding national security and maintaining the city’s long-term prosperity and stability.

The Hong Kong SAR Government explained that the minor drop in the scores does not seem to fully reflect the institutional strengths of Hong Kong’s rule of law. For example, in respect of Criminal Justice, Hong Kong has a fair and comprehensive criminal justice system, as well as a criminal legislative framework that keeps up with the times, fully protecting the rights of the parties involved. Hong Kong's comprehensive, robust and well-funded legal aid system also plays a pivotal role in safeguarding the rule of law.

In addition, Hong Kong residents enjoy fundamental rights to commence legal proceedings and seek judicial remedies before the courts, which are protected by the Basic Law and the Hong Kong Bill of Rights Ordinance.

The Hong Kong SAR Government noted that all in all, the city's overall score of 0.72 is the same as the countries ranked the 22nd and 24th globally, and the scores in most of the aspects were only slightly adjusted.

Reiterating that Hong Kong has maintained a trusted legal system under “one country, two systems”, and its rule of law is also widely recognised and respected by the community, the Government added that it will continue to be steadfast in safeguarding national sovereignty, security and development interests, as well as fully and faithfully implementing the “one country, two systems” principle and upholding the rule of law in the Hong Kong SAR.