The Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Hong Kong, Liu Guangyuan, said Thursday that the constitutional order must be protected in order to preserve the rule of law in the SAR.

Liu told an international rule of law forum, hosted by the SAR government, that safeguarding the rule of law is vital to ensure the lasting stability of Hong Kong.

"The constitution [of the PRC] and the Basic Law together form the constitutional basis of the HKSAR. So, to protect the rule of law in Hong Kong, we must safeguard the constitutional order established by the constitution and the Basic Law first," he said.

"Only when the constitution and the Basic Law are upheld can the legal spirit in Hong Kong survive, and can One Country, Two Systems move forward steadily on the right track."

Liu said "anti-China" activities aimed at destabilising the SAR had been rampant for quite some time, ruining people's livelihood, public order and the rule of law.

"We must safeguard the legal order, and ensure that laws are enforced, the lawbreakers are held accountable,” he said.

"We must strengthen the implementation of law, and improve the systems and mechanisms related to law enforcement."

Liu said "mistakes in the practice of the One Country, Two Systems principle" had been corrected by Beijing's introduction of the national security law and changes to the electoral system in the SAR.

The commissioner also criticised unnamed countries for using democracy in name to engage in anti-democratic activities, and pursue unilateralism by walking away from international organisations and agreements, or imposing unilateral sanctions without the basis of international law.

He said different countries have developed rule of law systems suitable to themselves, saying there's no best model or standard version.

At the same forum, Chief Executive Carrie Lam said Hong Kong is internationally recognised as being underpinned by the rule of law, as shown in relevant international indices.

She said the SAR has an independent judiciary, and fundamental rights and freedoms are fully protected by the Basic Law.

"We are determined that Hong Kong's solid foundation in the rule of law and our legal system in general will continue to grow and serve as a guiding principle for Hong Kong and a model for the region in the many more years to come," Lam said.