Annual Report 2024

Hon Andrew LEUNG Kwan-yuen, President of the Legislative Council

“When the nation is secure, families thrive; when the nation prospers, people find peace.” National security is the bedrock of society, serving as the cornerstone for stability and effective governance. Like a towering tree, only with deep roots can its branches grow tall and flourish.

Through resolute collaboration between the Executive Authorities and the Legislature, the Seventh Legislative Council (“LegCo”) stood shoulder to shoulder with the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (“HKSAR”) during its third session to fulfil a constitutional duty that had been overdue for nearly 27 years—unanimously passing the Safeguarding National Security Bill (“SNSB”). This landmark achievement not only fortifies our national security framework, but also heralds Hong Kong’s transition from governance to prosperity, establishing a strong foundation upon which the city’s long-term prosperity and stability will be built.

I am thrilled with pride to see that Members of the Seventh LegCo have truly exemplified the ideals of patriotism and dedication to Hong Kong. Guided by the ethos of “decisive in action, resolute in results”, Members have elevated every aspect of our legislative work, increasing output while improving the quality and efficiency of policy deliberations and the scrutiny of numerous bills and funding proposals aimed at improving the economy and people’s livelihoods, as well as advancing Hong Kong’s long-term development.

During this session, LegCo conducted 36 meetings, totalling approximately 331 hours of proceedings, passing 34 Government bills and 1 Members’ bill. In the first three sessions of the current term, LegCo had passed 87 bills, representing a 50% increase in legislative output compared to the same period in the previous term.

On 8 March 2024, LegCo convened in a special session to commence the First and Second Readings of SNSB. To expedite the legislative process, the Bills Committee worked tirelessly day and night, conducting thorough scrutiny of each clause. Members’ rigorous and thoughtful consideration of practical implementation and public concerns of SNSB resulted in nearly 2 000 questions and suggestions from them. SNSB had a total of 181 clauses, and there were 91 amendments proposed by the Administration to address Members’ views. This underscored the seriousness, efficiency and transparency of the entire scrutiny process.

SNSB was passed unanimously by LegCo in its Third Reading on 19 March 2024. This legislative exercise carries profound significance for national security and the well-being of the country. As LegCo President, I cast my vote at this historic and critical moment to support the passage of SNSB, affirming that safeguarding national security is everyone’s responsibility. The subsequent address to LegCo by the Chief Executive (“CE”) further reinforced this collective commitment. Since the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance (“SNSO”) came into effect, Hong Kong has enjoyed a stable and secure environment conducive to economic growth and development, which has received strong public endorsement. Now in place for over a year, SNSO has brought Hong Kong to the top of key global indices—from financial centre rankings and economic liberty metrics to foreign direct investment levels and overall competitiveness. These achievements are a powerful testament to the enduring confidence that the international community has placed in Hong Kong.

In addition to SNSO, the bills passed during this session reflect the spirit of the Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, fully aligning with the country’s strategic positioning for the future development of Hong Kong. These include the Extension of Government Leases Bill, which established a mechanism for the automatic extension of land leases to maintain the confidence of property owners and investors, exemplifying the steadfast and successful implementation of “one country, two systems”; the Deposit Protection Scheme (Amendment) Bill 2024, which was designed to bolster the stability of the financial system; and the Inland Revenue (Amendment) (Aircraft Leasing Tax Concessions) Bill 2023, which aimed to enhance Hong Kong’s competitiveness as an international aviation hub.

This session also witnessed the passage of a number of bills addressing livelihood issues. These include the Mandatory Reporting of Child Abuse Bill, which introduced a mandatory reporting regime for child abuse to strengthen child protection; the Fire Safety (Buildings) (Amendment) Bill 2024, which sought to enhance fire safety standards in old buildings; as well as the Dentists Registration (Amendment) Bill 2024 and the Nurses Registration (Amendment) Bill 2023, which facilitated the admission of non-locally trained dentists and nurses respectively.

During this session, LegCo completed the scrutiny of 163 items of subsidiary legislation, including the reduction of liquor duty to promote high-end liquor trade. Members also raised 1 610 oral and written questions about the Government’s work, covering various economic and livelihood issues.

As representatives of public opinion, Members debated 46 Members’ motions not intended to have legislative effect during this session, voicing public sentiments and offering views on matters of public concern. The debates touched on a variety of public priorities, including promoting the development of the low-altitude economy, advancing policies to support assisted reproduction, pursuing the concept of “tourism is everywhere in Hong Kong” and developing Hong Kong’s mega event economy, among others.

The Finance Committee (“FC”) continued to scrutinize and approve the Government’s funding proposals rigorously. During the session, FC held a total of 35 meetings, amounting to approximately 91 hours, to examine and approve 58 projects involving financial commitments of about $249.9 billion.

Among the approved proposals, 28 were public works-related, 22 were non-public works-related and 8 were staffing establishment-related. Many of these proposals will contribute to the long-term development of Hong Kong. These included several projects related to the Northern Metropolis development, estimated to cost approximately $83.2 billion, as well as the New Industrialization Acceleration Scheme, valued at $10 billion.

True to its role as the guardian of public funds, FC will never grant the Government’s financial proposals “rubber stamp” approval. This was evident during the deliberations on the funding application for the “Trunk Road T4 in Sha Tin” project. Following concerns raised by Members regarding costs, the Government scaled down the project scope and reduced the associated costs, ultimately resulting in the revised proposal being approved.

In addition, FC held 21 sessions of special meetings, spanning approximately 32 hours, to examine the Government’s Estimates of Expenditure for the financial year of 2024-2025. Eighty-eight Members submitted about 3 800 written questions and raised pertinent queries during the meetings, expressing their views and concerns on a wide range of initiatives to ensure the proper use of public funds. Government officials also provided supplementary information on the Estimates of Expenditure.

This legislative session continues to sustain constructive interaction with the Executive Authorities. A total of three CE’s Question and Answer Sessions and Interactive Exchange Question and Answer Session were held for the CE and Members to exchange views on specific policy matters and high-level strategic issues, such as “developing new quality productive forces” and “promoting Chinese culture and the integrated development of culture and tourism”.

Members and government officials also held four Ante Chamber Exchange Sessions to engage in meaningful dialogue on various critical policy areas. Topics included Hong Kong’s participation in and contribution to the country’s Belt and Road Initiative, Innovation and Technology (I&T) and digital economy, as well as cross-boundary healthcare collaborations. Incorporating Members’ professional perspectives during the formative stages of policy development has significantly enhanced the efficiency and effectiveness of subsequent policy implementation.

LegCo maintains close working relations with the reformed District Councils (“DCs”). In May 2024, LegCo Members held their first meeting with DC members elected under the new electoral system. During the session, productive dialogue was established with representatives from 10 DCs on livelihood and district issues. While LegCo operates at the macro policy level, DCs serve as consultative bodies on district administration. Together, the two provide the Administration with insights and advice on addressing public concerns and fostering social cohesion.

In his important speech, President XI Jinping emphasized that the Hong Kong and Macao Special Administrative Regions should leverage their distinctive strengths and strengthen their connectivity with both the Mainland and the world. During the session, several LegCo panels visited the Mainland to deepen exchanges with relevant authorities and actively explore new opportunities for Hong Kong’s integration into the overall development of the country. These visits covered seven key cities in the Yangtze River Delta and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, where Members examined construction technology, smart traffic management, food control, urban planning, patriotic education, industry-academia-research collaboration, etc.

The current LegCo has actively told the good stories of Hong Kong and its distinctive advantages of enjoying the strong support of the motherland while being closely connected to the world. During this session, I led LegCo delegations on visits to three countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), namely Malaysia, Indonesia, and Singapore, as well as Japan. These visits not only strengthened parliamentary exchanges but also provided opportunities to actively gauge the support of these countries to back Hong Kong’s early accession to the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (“RCEP”), which will create mutual benefits and shared prosperity for all parties.

The ASEAN delegation marked LegCo’s first overseas duty visit since the COVID-19 pandemic, underscoring Hong Kong’s commitment to regional partnerships. In Indonesia, the delegation hosted a networking reception with the ASEAN community. A number of representatives from ASEAN member states, observer states and dialogue partners reaffirmed their support for Hong Kong’s early accession to RCEP, which carries significant importance. This was followed by a reciprocal visit from Dr KAO Kim Hourn, Secretary-General of ASEAN, who acknowledged Hong Kong’s strategic advantages in generating win-win outcomes among RCEP economies.

In Japan, the delegation briefed the local political and business sectors on the latest developments in Hong Kong. Members highlighted Hong Kong’s strengths under “one country, two systems”, including its status as the world’s freest economy, underpinned by a resilient financial system, a favourable investment environment, an independent judicial system and stringent food safety controls. The delegation also emphasized that Hong Kong’s RCEP membership would stimulate regional economic growth and enable businesses to tap into the vast opportunities offered by China and other Belt and Road economies.

The efficient and smooth operation of the Council is supported by the professional expertise of the LegCo Secretariat. In recent years, the Secretariat has actively adopted artificial intelligence solutions to optimize operational efficiency. The LegCo Intelligent Transcription System (“LITS”) has significantly accelerated the production of verbatim meeting records with its “human-machine integration” approach. The newly enhanced LITS Phase 2 introduces sophisticated capabilities, including real-time transcription and editing, speaker voice recognition, Cantonese-Putonghua translation and two-way Chinese-English translation. These new features further boost the transparency and efficiency of Council business.

This session also saw the launch of the first-ever “Policy Pulse”, a new initiative designed to improve public understanding of key policy issues. The publication provides in-depth yet accessible analysis of specific and important social issues such as “protection of computer systems of critical infrastructures”, as well as “Hong Kong’s transportation and transport infrastructure network”, both of which are related to essential services or important economic activities in Hong Kong. By explaining LegCo’s relevant work and Members’ views, “Policy Pulse” aims to enhance public policy literacy and encourage informed civic discourse, building a better Hong Kong together.

The main works of the expansion project of the LegCo Complex, which lasted for two years, were successfully completed during this session. The phased relocation of all Members to their offices on the newly-built Members’ floors was finalized in November 2024. Although meetings still needed to be held during the course of the expansion, the project was delivered ahead of schedule without disrupting LegCo’s daily operations, thanks to the close collaboration among the Secretariat, interdepartmental government teams and construction contractors. On behalf of all Members, I would like to express our sincere gratitude to all those who made tireless efforts to the expansion project. With Phase 2 of the expansion scheduled for completion by October 2025, the Complex will soon be equipped with new conference and public education facilities.

To commemorate the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China, LegCo curated a series of National Day celebrations in 2024. These included a short video production featuring Members’ insightful speeches, vividly portraying the integral roles of Hong Kong and LegCo in the country’s ongoing development; and the “Legislative Council • Affection for our Home and our Country” exhibition series that illustrated the indivisible bond between the country and Hong Kong. Hong Kong must commit to the full, faithful and resolute implementation of the principles of “one country, two systems”, “Hong Kong people administering Hong Kong” in order to safeguard and promote Hong Kong’s long-term prosperity and stability. With time pressing, the Seventh LegCo has entered its final session. Members are demonstrating a renewed sense of purpose and determination to discharge their duties, honouring the people’s mandate while living up to the nation’s expectations.

Hong Kong is now in a golden era of the country’s comprehensive deepening of reform and opening up amidst the accelerating global changes not seen in a century. As a participant and driver of reform, LegCo remains steadfast in our collaboration with all sectors of society. With a composed and astute attitude, the wisdom to advance amidst change, and flexible, innovative strategies, we transform challenges into opportunities. We pledge our unequivocal support for CE’s administration, positioning ourselves not as passengers, but as the powerful engine driving the express train of national development. By ensuring that people-centric initiatives and those beneficial to Hong Kong are implemented with precision and effectiveness, the “Pearl of the Orient” will continue to shine brightly, its lustre undimmed by time, as we forge new narratives of enduring prosperity.