On June 13, when the UK Labour Party issued its manifesto for the general election on July 4, its focus was domestic issues. This was understandable, as elections are won and lost on bread-and-butter issues. There were, however, some references to foreign policy, albeit nothing too beefy. Signed by the Labour Party leader (now prime minister), Sir Keir Starmer, the manifesto committed the party to working with the US, supporting NATO, enhancing the AUKUS pact, and backing Ukraine in its conflict with Russia, so no surprises there.

The rule of law has always been fundamental to the success story that is modern Hong Kong, and its custodian is the judiciary. So long as its legal system is protected by capable, independent and professional judges, the city has a bright future. Anybody, therefore, who wants to undermine the "one country, two systems" policy knows the judiciary stands in their way, which is why its judges have been targeted in the West.

On May 30, a 3-judge panel of the Court of First Instance delivered its verdicts in the trial of the 16 defendants accused of conspiring to subvert state power. Whereas 14 were convicted, two were acquitted. A further 31 defendants had earlier pleaded guilty, and the sentencing of the 45 offenders has been adjourned to June 25.

On Feb 12, 2021, the British barrister Karim Khan KC was elected as prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), at the 19th session of the Assembly of States Parties to the Rome Statute, in New York. He has an impressive pedigree and was sworn into office on June 16, 2021.

Diplomats discharge various functions in the course of their duty. Their main responsibility is to safeguard the interests of their nationals in the host country, whether resident or visiting. They also keep their home state informed about political and social issues, and convey views.

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) recognizes and protects children's fundamental freedoms and inherent rights. The UN adopted it in 1989, and Hong Kong became a signatory in 1994. It requires the parties to take all available measures to protect and fulfill children's rights (Art.4), and there is a positive obligation to create an environment where children can grow up safely and achieve their full potential.

After the UK foreign secretary, Lord (David) Cameron, issued his latest six-monthly report on Hong Kong on April 15, readers quickly realized elementary fact-checking had been neglected. It covered July to December 2023, and was found to be flawed in key areas. Instead of an objective analysis of Hong Kong's situation, it was little more than a propaganda broadsheet.

On April 11, an extraordinary trial concluded in the District Court (DCCC 210/2023). Joseph John, also known as Wong Kin-chung, who holds a Hong Kong permanent identity card as well as a Portuguese passport, pleaded guilty to an offense of conspiring to incite others to commit secession through online posts. He styled himself the "president" of the "Hong Kong Independence Party", and operated its Facebook and other social media accounts, including a United Kingdom-registered website.

Although the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance (SNSO) is undoubtedly robust, it would be of little value if it did not cover all bases. It contains a comprehensive set of laws, which nicely complement the regime created by the National Security Law for Hong Kong (NSL) in 2020. With its enactment, the process of ensuring national security and the security of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region is complete, and economic development can now be prioritized.

In 1971, the courts in Hong Kong were given the power to suspend sentences of imprisonment. Although a sentence can only be suspended if the offender has been sentenced to not more than two years' imprisonment, judges and magistrates regularly deploy suspended sentences.

The event that sticks most in my mind from 2003 when I served as the Director of Public Prosecutions was the failed attempt by CH Tung's government to enact the BL Art.23 national security proposals.

"A good example," said Pope Francis, "brings about so much good, but hypocrisy brings about so much evil."

Although it was inevitable the West's anti-China forces would criticize Hong Kong's Safeguarding National Security Ordinance (the Ordinance), which was passed by the Legislative Council on March 19, its shameless myth-making exceeded expectations. Regardless of its content, they viewed it as just another stick with which to beat Hong Kong. The usual suspects all weighed in, with nobody bothering to understand the Ordinance's human rights protections.

On March 14, when the Safeguarding National Security Bill (the bill) was scrutinized by a Legislative Council bills committee, the government proposed several amendments. The most significant involved empowering the chief executive, acting in conjunction with the Executive Council, to make subsidiary legislation to safeguard national security.

As the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government's consultation exercise on the Article 23 legislation was about to conclude, an extraordinary intervention occurred. On Feb 27, its penultimate day, the United Kingdom's foreign secretary, Lord (David) Cameron, weighed in with an impudent request that recalled Britain's imperial past. He said, "I strongly urge the Hong Kong SAR government to re-consider their proposals and engage in genuine and meaningful consultation with the people of Hong Kong."