Trust in the courts of Hong Kong: Levels, dynamics, and sources

Using five waves of Asian Barometer Surveys (2001–2021), this study reveals that judicial trust in Hong Kong rose until 2012 but declined from 2016 to 2021, alongside a weakening association with democratic values. After the introduction of the National Security Law (NSL), judicial trust among pro-establishment residents increased. In contrast, the difference-in-differences analysis reveals that the NSL and its subsequent cases reduced judicial trust among both proactive and moderate pro-democracy residents, with the latter undergoing a more gradual decline. The findings indicate a widening gap in judicial trust among residents with different political orientations after the introduction of the NSL.