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Willa Wu

Hong Kong’s lawmakers-elect have called for more exchanges with senior officials before policy formulation as they welcomed the first sharing session on Thursday, saying it signalled the government valued ties with the legislature.
About 70 of the 90 newly elected lawmakers joined the 1½-hour exchange with top government officials, including three secretaries and other bureau chiefs, focusing on two topics: the executive-legislature relationship and Hong Kong’s economic development.
Lawmaker-elect Chris Ip Ngo-tung said the event was the first such exchange for successful candidates before they started their four-year term.
“For a newcomer to the legislature, I was told the exchange has never been done before for lawmakers-elect,” he said. “It shows the government values the new Legco.”
Hong Kong concluded its second “patriots-only” Legislative Council election on December 7, with 161 candidates competing for the 90 seats. The election drew a 31.9 per cent voter turnout, slightly above the 30.2 per cent recorded four years ago.
The elected lawmakers will begin their term on January 1, 2026.
Judy Chan Kapui, who secured a second term, said the government had done well to maintain communication with lawmakers of the previous term, but wanted earlier consultation with legislators before policies were drafted.
“When government representatives came to brief us [previously], they already had a drafted policy in hand,” she said. “What we are calling for now is that the government engage us during the policy incubation stage and listen to as many of our suggestions as possible.”
She added the government “sounded positive” about the suggestion for more early engagement.
Kenneth Fok Kai-kong, another re-elected lawmaker, said that having informal meetings with government officials would enable more in-depth discussions on issues that affected society.
About 10 lawmakers shared their views during the exchange, including Ip, Chan and Fok.
In his opening speech, Chief Secretary Eric Chan Kwok-ki said lawmakers were an important part of the city’s governance, serving as partners of the administration in reforms and playing an indispensable role in enhancing governance capabilities.
“We must establish a closer and more constructive [and] positive interactive relationship within a framework that aligns with executive-led governance and the principle of ‘patriots administering Hong Kong’,” the city’s No 2 official said.

He urged lawmakers to play their dual roles – engaging with society and bringing residents’ voices into the legislature, and offering constructive suggestions to the government to help address Hongkongers’ concerns.
Chief Secretary Chan noted the government’s exchange with lawmakers before they took office was “an innovative approach”, adding that through leadership from the top and close communication, the executive and the legislature could take unified steps on major issues and mount joint responses to challenges.
Citing last month’s deadly fire in Tai Po, he said cooperation between the administration and Legco would pave the way for reforming the system, allocating resources more effectively, improving relevant laws and moving society forward.
The catastrophic 43-hour blaze at Wang Fuk Court, which started on November 26, claimed at least 160 lives and displaced nearly 5,000 residents.
Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu earlier pledged to take action at the first meeting of the new Legco and push through systemic reforms to close loopholes in the construction sector’s practices, which have come under heavy scrutiny in the aftermath of the tragedy.
The chief secretary on Thursday also acknowledged Chinese President Xi Jinping’s calls for Hong Kong to proactively align with the nation’s latest five-year plan.
Chan said the city would continue to adhere to the principle of “patriots administering Hong Kong” and enhance its governance capability.
“The key to transforming this grand blueprint into tangible development outcomes for Hong Kong lies in our ability to build consensus and work together collectively,” he said.


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Hong Kong lawmakers-elect call for more exchanges with government in policymaking

About 70 of the 90 newly elected lawmakers joined the 1½-hour exchange with top government officials on Thursday. Photo: Edmond So 

Chief Secretary Eric Chan delivers his opening speech at a sharing session with lawmakers-elect at the Hong Kong government headquarters on Thursday. Photo: Edmond So 

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Michael Tien (second from the right) and lawmaker-elect Mark Chong (right) hold a press briefing. Chong has pledged to uphold Tien’s political ideology. Photo: Jelly Tse

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Elected legislators say sharing session shows government values ties with lawmakers and call for earlier engagement to create better policies


Elected legislators say sharing session shows government values ties with lawmakers and call for earlier engagement to create better policies.


Hong Kong lawmakers-elect call for more exchanges with government in policymaking

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Elected legislators say sharing session shows government values ties with lawmakers and call for earlier engagement to create better policies

Elected legislators say sharing session shows government values ties with lawmakers and call for earlier engagement to create better policies