Jimmy Lai verdict shows strength of rule of law

Tian Feilong

This case has played, and will continue to play, a crucial role in shaping and reinforcing the social and political foundations of "patriots administering Hong Kong," as well as fostering unity and cohesion in Hong Kong society following Legislative Council elections.
Around the time the judgment in the Jimmy Lai case was handed down, the Legislative Council completed its second election under the new electoral system. Meanwhile, the Democratic Party - once the largest opposition group in Hong Kong - ultimately announced its dissolution, signaling a renewal and iteration of Hong Kong's democratic and rule-of-law development. 
Facts speak louder than rhetoric; legal reasoning prevails over rumor. Every detail and the judicial outcome of the Lai case constitute proof of Hong Kong's judicial independence and the authority of its rule of law. Lai has enjoyed full protection of human rights and procedural rights throughout Hong Kong's judicial proceedings, and during his lawful detention, he has also received adequate human rights and humanitarian treatment. These judicial details underscore the normativity and vitality of Hong Kong's rule of law, but also the steadfast commitment of the HKSAR government and Hong Kong society to upholding judicial independence and the core values of the rule of law. 
As the judicial process in the Jimmy Lai case concludes, the interaction and integration between the National Security Law and common law for Hong Kong will enter a new stage. The influence of Hong Kong's national security precedents within the common law system, as well as their exemplary role in global rule of law, will become even more prominent, and the legal foundations, authority and vitality of "One Country, Two Systems" will grow stronger and more resilient.
The author is a vice-dean of the Law School of Minzu University of China in Beijing and director of the Chinese Association of Hong Kong and Macao Studies.