Feature: Quality, responsible new lawmakers to bring new look to Hong Kong

HONG KONG, Dec. 21 (Xinhua) -- After fierce competitions, all the 90 new lawmakers with different backgrounds and political views have been elected to the Legislative Council (LegCo) of China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) and they are ready to perform their duties.

The results of the seventh-term LegCo election of the HKSAR were announced on Monday.

The newly-elected LegCo members, quality and responsible, have brought a new look to Hong Kong at this crucial historical juncture as Hong Kong returned from chaos to order, and heads towards prosperity.

At the central counting station of the election at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Center, the elected lawmakers expressed their hope that the seventh-term LegCo will set a good example and usher in a new era of good governance in Hong Kong.

Tang Fei, vice-chairman of Hong Kong Federation of Education Workers, was elected by the Election Committee constituency. He said he was happy to be elected yet he felt under pressure.

"The campaign process was very stressful, because you need to show the Election Committee members from all walks of life your knowledge and solutions towards related problems within a limited time," Tang said.

Over the past 20 years, many issues concerning education and people's livelihood have not been properly addressed, Tang said, adding that the new LegCo needs to work quickly and efficiently to solve at least some of the urgent problems.

Chairman of the Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions Wong Kwok, also elected by the Election Committee constituency, said that for him, the election was a process of continuous learning, strengthening communication, cooperation and unity.

Wong said the newly-elected LegCo members have broad representation, including the business community, working class, professionals and entrepreneurs. They are more complementary and have a higher quality compared with their predecessors.

Hong Kong's political environment has evolved from confronting politics to one that focuses on strengthening communication and cooperation and solving economic and livelihood issues. This will not only help promote order and prosperity in Hong Kong, but also improve people's sense of gain, he added.

Starry Lee, chairperson of the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong, won a seat in the geographical constituencies through direct elections.

Lee said that under the new electoral system of the HKSAR, all the elected LegCo members are patriots and have different views on promoting change and the better development of the Hong Kong society. She believed that future policy debates can blossom.

President of the Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions Ng Chau Pei was also elected in the geographical constituencies through direct elections. He said that voters' support reflects their expectations for the new electoral system.

The new term LegCo should focus more on economic and people's livelihood and address long-standing problems, including land and housing, the gap between the rich and poor, medical and education, he said, adding that he will adhere to the position of loving the country and Hong Kong, and promote relevant work.

Tik Chi-yuen from the social welfare sector took a seat in the functional constituencies race. He said the election process was not easy but he had been working hard and he felt lucky to be elected.

"I have full confidence in Hong Kong's future, because we have the solid backing of the motherland," Tik said, adding that if more consensus could be reached, Hong Kong will enjoy greater economic and social development in the future.

Tik looked forward to working together with other LegCo members on issues concerning people's livelihood and social development, and hoped the HKSAR government take more practical measures to further solve social problems.

Sunny Tan, executive deputy chairman of the Federation of Hong Kong Industries, was also elected from the textiles and garment sector in the functional constituencies.

Tan said that in the next four years, in addition to promoting the solution of deep-seated issues such as economy and people's livelihood, he will also push for the application of innovative technology in the industry and the industrialization of scientific research achievements, and help the industry to seize the opportunities brought by national policies such as the 14th Five-Year Plan, and integrate into the overall development of the country.

"During the campaign, I heard a lot of voices and learned about the pain points in the industry. In the future, I hope to use innovative technology to integrate into the national development, live up to the expectations of voters, and bring a new atmosphere to the industry," he said.