The 8th-term Legislative Council Election of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) was held on Sunday, marking another important LegCo election following the improvement of its electoral system and the implementation of the principle of "patriots governing Hong Kong." Polling stations across Hong Kong opened at 7:30 am and remained open until 11:30 pm, with preliminary results scheduled to be announced in the early morning of Monday, CCTV reported.
A total of 90 members of the Legislative Council will be elected in this election, including 40 seats from the Election Committee constituency, 30 from the functional constituencies, and 20 from the geographical constituencies through direct elections. The term of office for the successful candidates will commence on January 1, 2026, for a period of four years.
HKSAR Chief Executive John Lee, accompanied with his wife Janet Lee Lam Lai-sim, cast their ballots at the Raimondi College polling station on Sunday morning, according to local media reports.
Speaking to the media after voting, Lee said the process went smoothly. He noted that reports from various polling stations indicated smooth operations so far, and he urged local residents to vote enthusiastically, calling it "a vote to push forward reform, a vote to protect the disaster victims," Sing Tao Daily reported.
He said he would work with the new legislators to take good care of the victims, uncover the truth, and support recovery efforts, according to the local media report.
Asked whether the investigation results of the Wang Fuk Court fire would be released during his term, Lee said he attaches great importance to uncovering the truth and ensuring accountability. He added that the government is currently selecting a judge to lead the inquiry. He said he would not wait for all results to be finalized and would act as quickly as possible to ensure the public can live with greater peace of mind.
The devastating blaze at Wang Fuk Court in Hong Kong's Tai Po has claimed 159 lives. To prevent similar tragedy, the HKSAR government will establish an independent commission chaired by a judge to conduct a detailed investigation into the deadly fire, and the commission will submit its recommendations and report to the HKSAR chief executive.
John Lee said the Wang Fuk Court fire was heartbreaking, and that a great deal of work must be done — including supporting the victims, handling follow-up and reconstruction, uncovering the full truth, pursuing accountability, and pushing the institutional reform to make society safer and give citizens greater peace of mind.
At the first meeting of the new LegCo, the government would introduce its first motion to discuss how to support the victims and how to advance institutional reforms, Lee said, expressing the hope to work with legislators to ensure victims are cared for, to uncover the truth as soon as possible, and to move toward recovery.
HKSAR Chief Secretary for Administration Eric Chan Kwok-ki cast his vote on Sunday morning. Chan noted that he understands the public is still grieving over the Wang Fuk Court fire in Tai Po, but stressed that the LegCo is crucial for Hong Kong's future and for the government's policy implementation, including supporting disaster victims and carrying out relief efforts - all of which require LegCo's cooperation and oversight.
Not only Tai Po residents, but people across Hong Kong are feeling heavy-hearted because of the tragedy. However, voting does not take much time, and it carries great significance, Chan said, noting that for Hong Kong to keep moving forward and to help the affected residents, collaboration with the LegCo is essential.
He also expressed hope that the new LegCo can be elected on schedule, ensuring there is no governance vacuum on January 1 next year that could hinder policymaking.
Secretary for Justice Paul Lam Ting-kwok said in a post on his Facebook page that this LegCo election is crucial as Hong Kong has many issues to address, including a series of follow-up and reform measures after the recent fire.
"As the CE emphasized earlier, once the new LegCo is formed, the HKSAR government will immediately work together with the new lawmakers, each fulfilling their respective responsibilities, to strive to build a safer home and a better Hong Kong for everyone," Lam said.
Important election
Hong Kong's long-term development depends on Legislative Council members fully upholding the system of executive-led governance, further enhancing the HKSAR's governing capacity, and ensuring social stability, economic prosperity, and improvements in people's livelihoods, Liang Haiming, dean of the Hainan University Belt and Road Research Institute, told the Global Times on Sunday.
Going forward, Hong Kong must participate more proactively in the country's 15th Five-Year Plan, integrate itself into the country's overall development, and seize the opportunities brought by China's high-quality growth, Liang said, noting that LegCo members should demonstrate greater professionalism and pragmatism, work closely with the HKSAR government, promote effective policy implementation, improve governance efficiency, and be prepared to tackle various internal and external challenges in order to deliver greater benefits to the public.
At the same time, lawmakers need to strengthen communication and engagement with different sectors of society, build consensus, and facilitate cooperation among all parties, laying a more solid foundation for Hong Kong's long-term development, Liang said.
Some reporters from the local media observed on Sunday many residents casting their ballots at the polling station located at Hong Kong Teachers' Association Lee Heng Kwei Secondary School in Tai Po.
A Tai Po resident interviewed at the site said the government's disaster-relief efforts had been very efficient and showed great concern for people's livelihood. He also expressed the hope that that the newly elected LegCo members can help the government introduce more measures to support the victims of the Wang Fuk Court fire, Wen Wei Po reported.
This LegCo election was completed in accordance with the law and regulations, marking the full implementation of Hong Kong's new electoral system, which also represents an institutional practice of the principle of "patriots administering Hong Kong" and serves as a cornerstone for ensuring the city's long-term prosperity and stability, Willy Fu, a law professor who is also the director of the Chinese Association of Hong Kong & Macao Studies, told the Global Times on Sunday.
The CE has placed post-fire follow-up work at the top of the LegCo's agenda, demonstrating the HKSAR government's commitment to upholding the Basic Law, responding to public concerns through concrete actions, and fulfilling its governance responsibilities, Fu said.
Source: Global Times:
Company: Global Times
Contact Person: Anna Li
Email: [email protected]
Website: https://globaltimes.cn
City: Beijing
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