The World Justice Project released its Rule of Law Index 2026 on Wednesday, with Hong Kong's overall ranking remaining high and unchanged at sixth in East Asia and the Pacific, and 24th out of 143 countries and jurisdictions globally.
The HKSAR Government said Hong Kong's scores in most aspects are similar to last year, and its overall ranking continues to be ahead of some Western countries that often unreasonably criticise Hong Kong's rule of law and human rights situation.
Hong Kong remains in the global top 10 for "Absence of Corruption" and "Order and Security," with its ranking for the latter rising to seventh. The government said this demonstrates that the implementation of the Hong Kong National Security Law, the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance and other relevant laws has provided better protection for the city's security and maintained it as an excellent environment for business and investment.
Hong Kong's rankings for "Constraints on Government Powers" and "Civil Justice" are the same as last year, while rankings for "Open Government" and "Regulatory Enforcement" remain almost unchanged. Rankings slightly dropped for "Fundamental Rights" and "Criminal Justice."
The government said that under "one country, two systems" and the Basic Law, Hong Kong has a robust legal framework for human rights protection and an open judicial system, with civil and criminal legal frameworks aligned with international standards. The Judiciary exercises judicial power independently and is free from interference.
The government said a robust rule of law is the cornerstone of Hong Kong's high-quality development and a core advantage underpinning its position as an international legal hub. As the only bilingual common law jurisdiction using Chinese and English, Hong Kong will give full play to its unique advantages.
