As an advisory member under the Trade and Industry Department – appointed in January this year – Kenneth Leung joined a delegation and took part a Belt and Road forum held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing last week.

“Lam is more willing to spend time listening to different opinions from various parties,” Leung said, suggesting that may come from her abundant experience in the civil service.

The lawmaker said he hoped Lam would break from what he called her predecessor’s “irrational” tendency to appoint pro-establishment figures to different advisory committees, and appoint more professionals.

But he was quick to add that the government’s way of handling the high-speed rail border checkpoints, and its bar on candidates from running the coming by-election were “unacceptable”, among other complaints he had about Lam’s tenure so far.

“I like the high-speed rail link ... but you can’t sacrifice the principle of the rule of law,” Leung said.

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“But if you ask whether I can view every issue separately, yes, I can, as a politician.” he added. Leung said he, alongside five other lawmakers of The Professionals Guild, would oppose or support the government on a case-by-case basis.

Leung said he understood that as chief executive Lam could not provoke Beijing on certain issues. But he said safeguarding Hongkongers’ interests and rights was also a key part of her role.

So, has she achieved that?

“She hasn’t but she is trying ... I would give her some more time,” he said.