A symposium has been held by Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Shenzhen University in south China's Shenzhen City, to discuss foreign-related rule of law in the One Country, Two Systems context and the city's role in serving the construction of foreign-related rule of law of the country. The event is held to commemorate the 25th anniversary of Hong Kong's return to China. Xu Hua reports.

Over 100 experts and scholars from the Chinese mainland, Hong Kong and Macao took part in the event to discuss the relationship between Hong Kong and the central government as well as the city's governance within the framework of the "One Country, Two Systems" principle.

XIE FENG China's Vice Foreign Minister "Over the past 25 years, the central government has acted in strict accordance with the Constitution and the Basic Law. It has firmly implemented the principle of 'One Country, Two Systems,' under which the people of Hong Kong govern Hong Kong with a high degree of autonomy. It has also constantly improved the constitutional and legal order in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, to better safeguard the central government's overall jurisdiction over the region and guarantee its high degree of autonomy at the same time."

Having worked in Hong Kong for nearly four years, Xie says he has witnessed a major turning point in the city's governance, which has proved that "One Country, Two Systems" is feasible and enjoys strong public support.

But how can Hong Kong better contribute to the construction of foreign-related rule of law of the country according to the principle of "one country, two systems"? Here are Xie's suggestions.

XIE FENG China's Vice Foreign Minister "First, make good use of the competitiveness of the rule of law to build a legal center. Second, we need to harness the synergy of the rule of law to serve the country. Third, we need to demonstrate the influence of the rule of law and contribute to global governance."

Hong Kong officials say the city's international ranking in terms of the rule of law has steadily increased since its return to China. Hong Kong's rule of law ranks the city 18th among 209 countries and territories, the second highest in Asia.

China's Belt and Road Initiative has also offered new opportunities for international exchanges and cooperation. And as mainland companies go global, they may face greater legal risks while expanding their business overseas.

CARRIE LAM Hong Kong Chief Executive "As the only common law jurisdiction in China and one of the most popular arbitration venues in the world, Hong Kong can make good use of the rule of law to help mainland enterprises effectively cope with legal challenges in the process of going global, thus realizing the purpose of safeguarding national sovereignty and security and development interests."

Last November, the Asian-African Legal Consultative Organization established a regional arbitration center in Hong Kong. That's only one of the factors consolidating Hong Kong's position as a major international dispute resolution center.

XU HUA Shenzhen "Looking forward to the future, the SAR government says it will continue to firmly uphold the 'one country, two systems' policy, actively integrate into the nation's overall development, and seize the opportunity brought by the 14th five-year plan and construction of Greater Bay Area. Xu Hua, CGTN, Shenzhen."