New HK legislature sees highest-ever share of mainland legislative, advisory members

Thirty percent of lawmakers in Hong Kong’s newly elected Legislative Council concurrently serve as deputies to the National People’s Congress (NPC) or members of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), the highest proportion since the legislature’s establishment.

The new-term LegCo—comprising 50 returning members and 40 newcomers—is the second general election held under the “patriots administering Hong Kong” principle and the revamped electoral system.

The number of legislators holding national-level roles has risen from 24 in the previous term to 27 in the current one. Among them, 15 Hong Kong deputies to the NPC secured seats in the new LegCo, accounting for 41.6 percent of the city’s 36 NPC deputies.

Simon Lee Hoey, re-elected in the Election Committee constituency, also sits on the Hong Kong Basic Law Committee, although he does not hold an NPC or CPPCC position.

In the geographical constituencies, 12 elected lawmakers are incumbents, while eight are newly elected.

Of the 30 functional constituency seats, 16 went to first-time lawmakers—including Olympic fencing champion Vivian Kong Man-wai, who represents the tourism sector—while 14 were returned incumbents.

In the Election Committee constituency, 24 seats were retained by incumbents and 16 by new members.

Among those continuing their service, the longest-standing lawmakers remain Gary Chan Hak-kan, Starry Lee Wai-king, and Priscilla Leung Mei-fun, all of whom have served uninterrupted terms since 2008.