Veteran Hong Kong lawmaker Regina Ip has said her party, the New People’s Party, will announce its plan for December’s Legislative Council (LegCo) “patriots only” elections “in due course,” as more legislators opt out of the race.
Speaking to reporters on Monday morning, Ip, also the convenor of the top government advisory body, the Executive Council, did not make clear if she would run for another term at LegCo.
“The New People’s Party will make an announcement in due course. Everyone, please, don’t harass me,” Ip said in Cantonese at the legislature when asked about her plans for the upcoming elections.
The 75-year-old lawmaker has been the centre of attention after several legislators publicly announced they would not take part in the “patriots-only” race in December, amidst rumours that those aged above 70 could be barred from running for office.
After Ip made the remark, another lawmaker, Frankie Yick, said on Monday afternoon he would not join the race. The 72-year-old lawmaker from the pro-business Liberal Party said in a Facebook post that the decision was made after “careful deliberation with family and fellow party members.”
Yick is the 10th lawmaker who announced the decision to step down, joining other veterans such as LegCo President Andrew Leung, Chan Kin-por, and Tommy Cheung.
Including Yick, a total of six lawmakers above 70 have opted out of the elections.
Age concerns
Citing unnamed sources in the political circle, local media reported on Monday that a line will be drawn for the next term of LegCo, which will exclude those above 70 years old.
Ip is among six lawmakers aged above 70 who have not yet indicated whether they will run for another term. Others include the vice chair of Ip’s New People’s Party, Lai Tung-kwok, and another veteran legislator, Michael Tien.
Several younger lawmakers have also said they will opt out of the race, including Gary Zhang, 36; Connie Lam, 37; and Tik Chi-yuen, 68. Tik is also the only self-proclaimed non-pro-establishment legislator following an electoral overhaul in 2021 that ensured only “patriots” take office.
Ip, who was Hong Kong’s security chief between 1998 and 2003, has been a lawmaker since 2008, making her one of the longest-serving legislators in the current LegCo.
She has also been a member of the Executive Council since 2012 and the convenor of the top advisory body since 2022.
Speaking on a Commercial Radio programme on Monday morning, pro-Beijing heavyweight Tam Yiu-chung, who held a seat at the legislature between 1998 and 2016, said he welcomed the decisions of those who opted out of the upcoming race.
Tam added he would like to see new faces at the legislature and that senior lawmakers could serve society in “other matters” after they stepped down.
The legislative polls, scheduled for December 7, will be the second since the 2021 “patriots-only” overhaul. The nomination period will begin on October 24.
In March 2021, Beijing passed legislation to ensure “patriots” govern Hong Kong. The move reduced democratic representation in the legislature, tightened control of elections and introduced a pro-Beijing vetting panel to select candidates. Authorities say the overhaul ensures the city’s stability and prosperity. But the changes also prompted international condemnation, as much of the traditional opposition remains behind bars, in self-exile or has quit politics.
