Stanley Ng Chau-pei, president of the Federation of Trade Unions (FTU), on Wednesday said Xia’s departure from the advisory body was expected as he had held office for two years past the usual retirement age of 68.

Ng also praised Xia’s contributions over the past three years, which he said was Hong Kong’s most challenging period because of the social unrest.

“Under his bold and decisive leadership, peace returned to Hong Kong swiftly with the national security law and electoral reforms,” he said. “He stepped down simply because of his age.”

The line-up of the 14th Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) announced on Wednesday also marked one of the highest turnovers in recent years for Hong Kong delegates.

An analyst said the trend reflected Beijing’s preference for professionals rather than politicians as the city entered “a new stage”.

About 200 representatives from Hong Kong will be among 2,172 delegates from around the country to attend the first session of the 14th CPPCC national committee on March 4.

Part of the coming “two sessions” for the CPPCC and National People’s Congress in Beijing, it will be the first event of its type since the mainland eased its tough anti-coronavirus policies last month.

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The body’s Hong Kong group, one of 34 in the CPPCC’s national committee, accounts for 124 of the city’s delegates. The remainder are part of groups that represent interests such as the country’s economic, sports, education and medical experts.

Several legal professionals are among the new faces, including constitutional law expert Professor Albert Chen Hung-yee of the University of Hong Kong (HKU), former Bar Association chairwoman Winnie Tam Wan-chi and former Law Society president Melissa Pang.

Others joining the political advisory body are Baptist University and Polytechnic University presidents Alexander Wai Ping-kong and Teng Jinguang, as well as lawmaker Lau Chi-pang, who serves as associate vice-president of Lingnan University.

HKU medical faculty dean Professor Wallace Lau Chak-sing also took a spot as a representative with the medical group.

Donnie Yen Ji-dan, a Hong Kong martial arts film star, well-known for his roles in the Ip Man kung fu film franchise, was made a delegate for the cultural and arts sector.

Among the business delegates, Sun Hung Kai Properties executive director Adam Kwok Kai-fai has taken over from the group’s chairman, Raymond Kwok Ping-luen.

Tycoons Adrian Cheng Chi-kong, a third-generation member of the family that controls property development to investment conglomerate New World Development, and shipping and property giant Shun Tak Holdings chairwoman Pansy Ho Chiu-king, daughter of the late “King of Gambling” Stanley Ho Hung-sun, were also appointed to the body.

Other new business delegates include former Cathay Pacific Airways CEO Augustus Tang Kin-wing and Pang Yiu-kai, deputy managing director of business group Jardine Matheson Holdings.

A raft of old political hands from the mainland with ties to Hong Kong, including Sun Qingye, deputy head of the country’s national security office in the city, and HKMAO deputy director Wang Linggui are on the advisory body. Former HKMAO deputy director Deng Zhonghua is also on it.

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A dozen local lawmakers were made delegates, including Anglican priest Reverend Canon Peter Koon Ho-ming, and Martin Liao Cheung-kong, who has served as a deputy to the National People’s Congress.

Political analyst Lau Siu-kai said the turnover rate for Hong Kong delegates was the highest in recent years and reflected Beijing’s latest approach towards the city.

“A lot of delegates in the previous CPPCC sessions are people from political parties who have actively struggled against the ‘black violence’ and businesspeople,” he said, using a term coined by the pro-establishment camp for protesters involved in the 2019 social unrest.

“But there are more professionals this time. It reflects that Hong Kong has now entered the age to develop and build following the protests.”

Ng said FTU members Wong Kwok and Joyce Ma Kwong-yu on the CPPCC would work to ensure better welfare support for Hongkongers living on the mainland.

Ex-Hong Kong leader Tung to leave top advisory body, but no seat for Lam

New People’s Party chairwoman Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee said she had noticed those with professional backgrounds had become more prominent in the new CPPCC and highlighted her party’s sole representative, Stephen Law Cheuk-kin, an accountant and former financial director for transport company the MTR Corporation and property firm Wheelock.

On the standing committee for the CPPCC, only eight of the 18 previous delegates secured another term. Those returning to the top spots include Henderson Land’s co-chairman Peter Lee Ka-kit, CK Asset Holdings chairman Victor Li Tzar-kuoi and an ex-director general of the World Health Organization, Margaret Chan Fung Fu-chun.

Tung Chee-hwa, Hong Kong’s first post-handover chief executive, earlier stepped down as a vice-chairman of the top advisory body after he had an operation for an undisclosed medical condition. He has not made any official public appearances since 2021.

Former city leader Leung Chun-ying is Hong Kong’s only vice-chairman on the body. His successor as chief executive, Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor, was not named for a position.