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Willa Wu

Two candidates vying to become the next president of Hong Kong’s legislature are locked in a tight race as major political parties have given their members a free vote.
The newly sworn-in members of the Legislative Council will on Thursday elect either Starry Lee Wai-king of the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong (DAB) or finance sector representative Ronick Chan Chun-ying through a secret ballot.
Before voting begins, both candidates will present their election platforms and answer questions from fellow lawmakers at a special forum. The ballot will take place immediately afterwards.
Although neither Lee nor Chan has publicly campaigned – neither has posted any material related to the contest on social media – insiders told the Post the outcome was expected to be close.
Lee, 51, chaired Legco’s House Committee during the previous four-year term and also serves as Hong Kong’s sole delegate to the National People’s Congress Standing Committee, China’s top legislative body.
Chan, 64, has no party affiliation but works closely with the G19 bloc, a group formed by Election Committee and functional constituency legislators. He chaired Legco’s Finance Committee in the last term. He is a National People’s Congress deputy and an adviser to the Bank of China (Hong Kong).
Indications of a tight race emerged last week when both candidates were nominated by a party leader and seconded by nine others.
The DAB, the city’s largest political party which holds 20 seats in Legco, is expected to back its veteran member, Lee.
Meanwhile, the 17-member G19 bloc, to which Chan belongs, along with three lawmakers from the New People’s Party, is likely to support him.

Other parties and alliances – including the eight-seat Business and Professionals Alliance for Hong Kong (BPA), the seven-seat Federation of Trade Unions (FTU) and the four-seat Liberal Party – have opted to let their members vote independently, despite some leaders having endorsed candidates during the nomination stage.
The C15+ alliance, made up of 12 legislators, has also not adopted a collective position, according to education sector lawmaker Tang Fei.
Two Election Committee constituency legislators, speaking on condition of anonymity, said most members of their 40-strong sector were expected to back Lee, viewing her as better positioned to offer “more networking opportunities”.
“Some lawmakers are hesitant to oppose the more politically influential candidate, since such influence is key to expanding political networks,” one of them said.
However, another legislator suggested that Lee’s political affiliation could prove a double-edged sword, as some might prefer Chan to prevent any single party from gaining too much power in the legislature.
“Most lawmakers want to avoid having a dominant party that could limit others’ influence in the chamber,” he said.

Some lawmakers have called on the next president to remain fair and impartial in carrying out their duties.
“The future president should be able to treat all Legco colleagues fairly,” said Johnny Ng Kit-chong from the C15+ bloc, who also expressed hope that the new president would help improve the legislature’s public standing.
Mark Chong Ho-fung of the centrist Roundtable party agreed, adding that a sound understanding of procedural rules was another important quality.
Nicholas Chan Hiu-fung, who represents the legal sector, said the new president should also help strengthen Hong Kong’s alignment with national development.
“He or she should be familiar with national policies and can lead Legco to get more involved in Hong Kong’s integration into the country’s overall development,” he said.
The contest between Lee and Chan marks the first time two candidates from the pro-government camp have competed for the position.
Chan previously said it would be a civilised contest that “certainly will not affect our unity”.
He has pledged to establish a more regular and closer communication mechanism between the executive and legislative branches to strengthen policy deliberations. He also said he would open Legco to residents, allowing them to meet lawmakers and bring the legislature closer to the public.
The new president will succeed Andrew Leung Kwan-yuen, who held the post since 2016 and decided not to seek re-election in December’s Legco poll.


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Lawmakers will choose between Starry Lee and Ronick Chan to be the next president of the Legislative Council. Photo: Eugene Lee

Starry Lee chaired Legco’s House Committee during the previous four-year term. Photo: K. Y. Cheng

Ronick Chan Chun-ying works closely with the G19 bloc, a group formed by election committee and functional constituency legislators. Photo: Elson Li

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Starry Lee (left) and Ronick Chan at the Legco oath-taking this week. Photo: Elson Li

Lawmakers pose for a group picture after the Legco oath-taking ceremony. Photo: Elson Li

Starry Lee or Ronick Chan? Lawmakers’ choice will reveal their priorities

Starry Lee and Ronick Chan separately take their oaths at the Legislative Council chamber on January 1. Photo: Elson Li

Ronick Chan (left) beat Ip Tsz-kin in the Legco election for the finance constituency; the result was announced at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre in Wan Chai on December 8. Photo: Karma Lo

Starry Lee (third row, in white) attends a session of China’s National People’s Congress at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, on March 11, 2023. Photo: AP

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Lawmaker Starry Lee is Hong Kong’s sole delegate in the standing committee of the National People’s Congress. Photo: Edmond So

The Legco chamber. Starry Lee has said she is exploring ways to unite lawmakers and align their work with national goals. Photo: Edmond So

News

Hong Kong

Politics

Lawmakers to choose between Starry Lee and Ronick Chan as divided support and free voting set the stage for a closely fought contest on Thursday


Lawmakers to choose between Starry Lee and Ronick Chan as divided support and free voting set the stage for a closely fought contest on Thursday.


Hong Kong politics

Ronick Chan Chun-ying

Business and Professionals Alliance (HK)

Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong

Tight race for Hong Kong’s Legco presidency as parties allow free vote

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Lawmakers to choose between Starry Lee and Ronick Chan as divided support and free voting set the stage for a closely fought contest on Thursday

Lawmakers to choose between Starry Lee and Ronick Chan as divided support and free voting set the stage for a closely fought contest on Thursday