Chan Yuen-han urges ban on dual nationals after Vivian Kong drops Canadian passport

Former lawmaker and veteran unionist Chan Yuen-han has called for a complete ban on foreign nationals from participating in Hong Kong’s Legislative Council elections, citing potential loyalty concerns.

Her remarks came shortly after Olympic fencing champion Vivian Kong Man-wai announced she would renounce her Canadian passport to run in the upcoming election.

“After 28 years since the handover, and with the implementation of ‘patriots governing Hong Kong,’ the nationality situation should have been clarified long ago. Anyone who becomes a Legislative Council member should renounce their foreign passport,” Chan wrote in an article.

Currently, 12 functional constituencies are open to Hong Kong permanent residents who are not Chinese citizens or who hold the right of abode in another country. These include the law, accounting, and tourism sectors.

Kong, who won Hong Kong’s first Olympic gold in fencing at the 2024 Paris Games, entered the race for the tourism functional constituency last Monday. She confirmed that she has already applied to relinquish her Canadian passport.

Commenting on Kong’s entry to the race just a month before the December 7 election, Chan said that “late participation is not uncommon,” but whether newcomers possess the necessary capability “will be tested in the Legislative Council.”

“I believe that if one is willing to study hard and communicate more with the industry, capable people can fit into any position. Of course, the prerequisite is having sufficient support from the sector,” she added.

Chan also cautioned that the “Five Eyes Alliance” — an intelligence-sharing network among Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States — must be closely watched and “handled carefully.”

She praised Kong’s decision to give up her Canadian citizenship, saying it helped minimize controversy and reduce doubts about her eligibility.

“It’s too late to make changes this time, but the government should prepare for the next election by requiring all candidates not to hold foreign citizenship to avoid loyalty issues,” Chan said.