HK honour: Secretary for Justice Wong Yan Lung shakes hands with Middle Temple Master Treasurer Robert Seabrook at the Call Ceremony in London.

Secretary for Justice Wong Yan Lung has been elected as a Master of the Bench of the Middle Temple in London.

Speaking to fellow benchers, barristers, students and guests at the Bench Call Ceremony at Middle Temple today, Mr Wong said this is not merely a personal honour. It is an honour for Hong Kong, and a great encouragement for all those working in the Department of Justice, to uphold Hong Kong's common value in the rule of law.

"It is an important recognition of the successful implementation of the 'One country, two systems' principle, 10 years after Hong Kong's reunification with the Mainland," he added.

The Middle Temple is one of the four Inns of Court in London. The other three Inns are the Gray's Inn, Inner Temple and Lincoln's Inn. A Master of the Bench or bencher is a senior member of an Inn of Court.

Another callee at the ceremony is the former Independent Commission Against Corruption Commissioner and former Department of Justice Solicitor General Bertrand de Speville.