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Willa Wu

Matthew Cheng

Hong Kong lawmaker Doreen Kong Yuk-foon, known for her outspoken views, has announced that she will not seek a second term in the coming Legislative Council election, saying she wants to shift her focus back to her legal practice.
Her decision, revealed on Wednesday, brings the number of incumbent legislators who are opting not to run to 22 – nearly a quarter of the current 89 members.
Kong, 55, also said she was preparing an online platform which would allow her to analyse public affairs and explain public policies to Hongkongers in the future.
“I decided not to seek another term, but my promise to [serve] Hongkongers will not change,” she said.
“When one door closes, another door may open. And perhaps the other door opens wider.”
Kong stressed that there was “totally no pressure” for her to step down, calling on the public not to speculate on her decision.

Gary Zhang Xinyu, another lawmaker considered to be vocal on a variety of issues, as well as Tik Chi-yuen, the sole legislator from the centrist Third Party, earlier also said they would not seek re-election.
Kong dismissed concerns that critical views were not welcome in the “patriots-only” legislature.
“I think the new Legislative Council will continue to be open to critical voices,” she said.
Kong was first elected in 2021 through the election committee constituency. She offered dissenting views on a number of issues and voted against several government bills, including casting the sole opposing vote in the controversial tobacco control bill this year.
She said she would shift her focus back to her law firm, where her expertise lies and which she did not wish to abandon.
Kong had planned to make the announcement in her farewell address to the legislature during the valedictory motion on Wednesday, when the final meeting of the current Legco term was scheduled to take place.
But Starry Lee Wai-king, chairwoman of the Legislative Council’s House Committee, withdrew the motion a day earlier, citing concerns over electoral fairness.
So far, 10 of the 12 lawmakers who are aged 70 or above have announced that they will step down from Legco, amid speculation of a Beijing-favoured age limit being imposed on aspirants.

The two remaining legislators aged 70 or older who have not announced their decision are New People’s Party chairwoman Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee and her party colleague Lai Tung-kwok.
Ip on Wednesday posted a picture on social media with the caption: “Possibly the last photo of all six legislators from New People’s Party taken in the Legislative Council chamber this term.” She stopped short of offering a clear indication of her next move.
Ip, who is also the convenor of the government’s key decision-making Executive Council, told reporters that her party would announce its candidates in due course, without confirming the date.
Asked about the social media post, Ip said they took the picture because “all party members were there”. She added that she would not be attending a Legco farewell lunch on Thursday as she had made other plans.
Veteran lawmaker Paul Tse Wai-chun, 66, on Wednesday also declined to reveal if he would seek another term, saying he “had not decided”.

In his final end-of-term briefing on Wednesday, outgoing Legco president Andrew Leung Kwan-yuen lauded the achievements of the first legislature under the patriots-only system.
He highlighted its efforts over the past four years to improve livelihoods, boost Hong Kong’s economy and enact the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance, as required by Article 23 of the Basic Law.
The current Legco passed 130 bills over 135 meetings that totalled 1,246 hours.
Lawmakers also raised about 2,460 verbal and written questions with the government.
Addressing why Legco’s work appeared to have failed to draw public attention, Leung said that it was a common challenge faced globally, noting that people typically focused on bills that concerned them.
“If you look at the legislative process, it’s so boring. It’s not so often that it becomes so sensational. I notice that even journalists are not checking the whole process,” he said.
Leung also rejected claims that the legislature was a “rubber stamp”, citing the marathon clause-by-clause review of the city’s domestic national security law and the voting down of the same-sex partnership bill.
“If we are rubber stamps, why waste time? You just come in, present the first and second reading, and resume the third reading straight away,” he said.
Leung said Legco had been as transparent as a “goldfish tank” and urged lawmakers to act prudently and set a good example for the public.
Looking back on his nine-year tenure as president of the legislature, he expressed no regrets.
“I tried my best at the most difficult time. I faced the problem straight on, even though there were threats to my safety, I still carried on without fear,” he said.
The current legislature’s term ends on Friday, the same day when the nomination period for the December 7 Legco poll begins.


This story has been updated to reflect the number of lawmakers aged 70 or above.


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Hong Kong politics

Outspoken Hong Kong lawmaker Doreen Kong, 55, will not seek second Legco term

Lawmaker Doreen Kong announces that she will not run in the coming Legco election. Photo: Nora Tam

Lawmaker Regina Ip (second from right) at one of the last meetings of the current Legislative Council on Wednesday. Photo: Nora Tam

Lawmakers Paul Tse (left) and Tik Chi-yuen at one of the final sessions of the outgoing Legislative Council on Wednesday. Photo: Nora Tam

Outgoing Legco president Andrew Leung has given his final end-of-term briefing. Photo: Nora Tam

Hong Kong Legco’s farewell motion withdrawn amid electoral fairness concerns

So far, 17 of the city’s 89 legislators have declared they will not seek re-election. Photo: Karma Lo

Starry Lee, chairwoman of Legco’s House Committee, rejects speculation that the valedictory motion has been called off to avoid potential political embarrassment. Photo: Dickson Lee

Veteran Hong Kong lawmakers Michael Tien, Tony Tse to step down from Legco

Lawmaker Michael Tien Puk-sun speaks to the media. Photo: Eugene Lee

Michael Tien (left) with Roundtable colleague Mark Chong, who has announced he will run in the coming Legco election. Photo: Eugene Lee

News

Hong Kong

Politics

Her decision brings the number of incumbent legislators opting out of election to 22 – nearly a quarter of the current Legco


Her decision brings the number of incumbent legislators opting out of election to 22 – nearly a quarter of the current Legco.


Hong Kong Legislative Council election 2025

Legislative Council of Hong Kong

Doreen Kong Yuk-foon

Outspoken Hong Kong lawmaker Doreen Kong, 55, will not seek second Legco term

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Her decision brings the number of incumbent legislators opting out of election to 22 – nearly a quarter of the current Legco

Her decision brings the number of incumbent legislators opting out of election to 22 – nearly a quarter of the current Legco