Annual Report 2023

Members receive visitors, visiting dignitaries and other parliamentary organizations to share knowledge and exchange ideas. Members also take part in meetings and liaison activities to establish and reinforce links with consular officials and local organizations.

On 16 April 2023, the Vice Chairman of the 13th Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference and Director of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council, Mr XIA Baolong, led the Central Government delegation to visit the Legislative Council (“LegCo”) and exchange views with Members. It was the first time since Hong Kong’s return to the motherland that a leader of the Central Government had visited LegCo to meet with Members, demonstrating the importance and concern the Central Government attaches to the work of LegCo.

The Chief Executive, Mr John LEE Ka-chiu, the Director of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Mr ZHENG Yanxiong, and the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Mr LIU Guangyuan, also attended the meeting to share and exchange views with Members.

During the meeting, five Members, including Hon Starry LEE Wai-king, Hon Martin LIAO Cheung-kong, Hon Mrs Regina IP LAU Suk-yee, Ir Dr Hon LO Wai-kwok and Hon Kingsley WONG Kwok each exchanged their individual views with Mr XIA Baolong. Mr XIA expressed satisfaction with the work of the Seventh LegCo and encouraged LegCo to continue to focus on the “executive-led” principle and carry out its work properly for the well-being of the people.

The Director of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (“LOCPG”), Mr ZHENG Yanxiong, and other LOCPG officials visited the Legislative Council (“LegCo”) on 14 July 2023 upon invitation for a luncheon and exchange with LegCo Members. The exchange was candid, fruitful and productive. LegCo welcomes enhanced communication and exchanges with LOCPG in the future, with a view to joining hands to promote the continued successful implementation of “one country, two systems” in Hong Kong, and facilitating Hong Kong’s greater contributions to the historic process of rejuvenating the Chinese nation.

The Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (“HKSAR”), Mr LIU Guangyuan, was invited to the Legislative Council (“LegCo”) on 11 May 2023 to deliver a lecture to LegCo Members on topical issues of international landscape and diplomacy, which was attended by more than 80 Members. Mr LIU is the first Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the HKSAR to hold a seminar in LegCo since the return of Hong Kong to the motherland. The seminar enabled Members to gain an in-depth understanding of the policy propositions, positions and views on major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics, as well as the need for Hong Kong to properly play its role as “a link within the country and a connector to the world” amid the complicated and ever-changing international situation.

The President and Members of the Legislative Council (“LegCo”) receive visitors and visiting dignitaries referred by government departments and Consuls-General in Hong Kong as well as parliamentary organizations, and brief them on the work of LegCo and the latest developments in Hong Kong. These visitors include members of overseas legislatures, political and business leaders, government officials as well as prominent people from international organizations and renowned institutions. During the session, 37 such meetings were held.

To enhance contacts between Members and the diplomatic community in Hong Kong, Consuls-General and Honorary Consuls in Hong Kong were invited to visit the Legislative Council in July 2023. They received a briefing and attended a cocktail reception during the visit, which provided an opportunity for interactive exchanges with Members and the exchange of views on issues of mutual concern. A total of 44 Consuls-General or their representatives and 14 Honorary Consuls attended the event.

The Legislative Council (“LegCo”) hosts regular luncheons every year for Members to network with the Chief Executive, Executive Council Members and senior government officials, with a view to promoting constructive interaction between the Legislature and the Executive Authorities. During the session, a spring luncheon and a networking luncheon were held in February and November 2023 respectively.

To mark the 25th anniversary of the establishment of LegCo, former LegCo Presidents Mrs Rita FAN HSU Lai-tai and Mr Jasper TSANG Yok-sing were invited to attend a networking luncheon held in November 2023. A commemorative video, specially produced by the Secretariat, was premiered on the day of the luncheon for the guests to take a stroll down memory lane and envision the future together.

The Chief Executive Mr John LEE Ka-chiu initiated regular Ante Chamber Exchange Sessions (“AES”) to foster constructive and interactive relationships between the Executive Authorities and the Legislature. A total of seven AES led by Secretaries and Deputy Secretaries of Departments were held during the session. Members exchanged views directly with government officials on different policy issues during these exchange sessions.

The Legislative Council hosted a tea reception in June 2023 for Members to exchange views with the new Boards of Directors of major charitable organizations (namely Tung Wah Group of Hospitals; Po Leung Kuk; Lok Sin Tong Benevolent Society, Kowloon; Pok Oi Hospital; Yan Chai Hospital; and Yan Oi Tong) in a relaxed atmosphere, with a view to jointly promoting a culture of charity and helping the needy in the community. The tea reception was attended by a record number of over 120 guests and nearly 50 Members.

During the session, the Legislative Council (“LegCo”) Football Team played three friendly matches with the Hong Kong Travel Industry Football Association, the Government Football Team and the Hong Kong Sheng Kung Hui Welfare Council respectively. The friendly match with the Government Football Team in May 2023 saw the participation of nearly 40 government officials, with the Chief Executive joining the LegCo President to officiate at the kick-off ceremony, demonstrating the unity of the Government and LegCo in supporting sports.

In response to the Government’s call for members of the public to get vaccinated early for protection against seasonal influenza, the Department of Health sent an outreach team to the Legislative Council Complex in October 2023 to administer flu vaccines to Members. About 50 Members participated in the event and were vaccinated on the spot. The Secretary for Health and his team came to show their support, with the aim of encouraging members of the public to get vaccinated as soon as possible.

To encourage members of the public to support organ donation and give a new lease of life to more patients in need, the Department of Health set up an organ donation promotion booth in the Main Lobby of the Legislative Council (“LegCo”) Complex for five consecutive days in June 2023, where Members, Members’ staff, the Secretariat staff and visitors could inquire about organ donation and register for organ donation on the spot. LegCo has also signed the Organ Donation Promotion Charter, pledging to work hand in hand with the Government to promote public education and inculcate a culture that honours organ donation.

During the session, Blood Donation Day was held twice in the Legislative Council (“LegCo”) Complex in February and December 2023 respectively, attracting a total of nearly 100 participants. The Hong Kong Red Cross Blood Transfusion Service sent not only its mobile blood collection team but also, for the first time in December 2023, its mobile blood donation vehicle to LegCo to provide blood donation services to Members, Members’ staff and the Secretariat staff.

During the session, the Fire Services Department provided an introduction to the administration of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (“CPR”) and the use of automated external defibrillator (“AED”) at the Legislative Council, demonstrating to Members, Members’ staff and the Secretariat staff how to perform CPR and use AEDs, and guiding them in simulating the use of an AED to save lives. The Director of Fire Services and “Anyone” came as a show of support, with the aim of promoting CPR and AED to the community and the public in a joint effort to enable wider dissemination of first aid knowledge. In total, nearly 60 people participated in the event.