​The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government spokesman today (April 11) expressed regret at the resignation of Mr Justice Robert French as a non-permanent judge of the Court of Final Appeal of the HKSAR, and extended gratitude for his contribution over the years.

　　The HKSAR Government was grateful that Mr Justice French, in his resignation letter to the Chief Executive, expressed great respect for the judicial officers of the HKSAR as well as for their independence and integrity, and that he felt honoured to have worked with them.

　　The spokesman said that the long-time presence of esteemed judges from overseas as non-permanent judges of the Court of Final Appeal participating in hearings of the Court has been conducive to the international legal environment and the development of the jurisprudence of common law in Hong Kong. Their continued participation, alongside permanent judges, speaks to the enduring strength and resilience of the Court. The judicial system of the HKSAR is protected by the Basic Law. The HKSAR shall be vested with independent judicial power, including that of final adjudication; the courts shall exercise judicial power independently, free from any interference. The presence or absence of individual judges will not undermine the integrity of the system, nor impair the HKSAR Government’s determination in upholding the rule of law.

　　The HKSAR Government fully supports the Judiciary in its continuous efforts to appoint and retain foreign non-permanent judges in the future, and will endeavor to capitalise on the HKSAR's common law system, upholding the rule of law in Hong Kong.

Ends/Friday, April 11, 2025