HONG KONG - The conviction in Jimmy Lai Chee-ying's case was based on a solid and comprehensive chain of evidence, demonstrating the robustness and effectiveness of Hong Kong's legal system for safeguarding national security, Nick Chan Hiu-fung, a member of the Legislative Council of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, said.

Chan said in a recent interview with Xinhua that the trial process of Lai's case was entirely open, fair, impartial, and transparent, effectively debunking false smears by external forces and certain foreign media.

On Dec 15, the Court of First Instance of the Hong Kong High Court delivered a verdict on the case of Lai and three companies linked to the now-defunct Apple Daily, finding them guilty on all three counts of endangering national security.

As a LegCo member of the legal sector, Chan pointed out that the judicial proceedings in Lai's case fully adhered to the principles of Hong Kong's common law system, with no difference from the handling of other criminal cases, and without any special political considerations.

Hong Kong's well-established judicial system also safeguarded the lawful rights of the parties involved, which vividly reflects the fairness and strictness of the rule of law in Hong Kong.

In response to certain Western narratives that attempted to package Lai's criminal acts as "freedom of the press", Chan said that some Western forces deliberately distorted the facts, with the real attempt to interfere in China's internal affairs, divert Hong Kong's business opportunities, and seize development prospects.

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Chan stressed that freedom of the press is protected under the HKSAR Basic Law, but freedom has never been without limits. In every society that respects freedom of expression, clear legal boundaries are drawn to prevent acts that endanger national security, which is not unique to Hong Kong.

Since the implementation of the national security law in Hong Kong, the city has continued to rank highly in global rule of law indices. Its judicial rulings are often cited by overseas courts, reflecting the confidence and recognition of the international legal community in Hong Kong's judicial system.

Chan said that everyone is equal before the law. This ruling sends a clear signal to society that any act that endangers national security or harms Hong Kong's interests under the guise of human rights, democracy, or freedom will be severely punished by law; any attempt to challenge the authority of the law or cross the red line of national security will lead to a dead end.

Chan noted that over the past five years since the implementation of the national security law in Hong Kong, the city has undergone a major transformation from chaos to order. The lawful handling of Lai's case has further consolidated the rule of law foundation for Hong Kong's new stage of progress from order to prosperity.

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Chan said that all sectors of Hong Kong should firmly uphold the spirit of the rule of law, and jointly resist baseless malicious attacks against Hong Kong's legal system. Only when the whole society jointly safeguards the rule of law and protects national security can Hong Kong maintain prosperity and stability.