The successful conclusion of Hong Kong's eighth Legislative Council election on Sunday represents far more than routine legislature rotation. With voting stations operating seamlessly for 16 hours, the electoral process demonstrated both logistical precision and growing civic engagement. Turnout rates across all constituencies surpassed those of 2021, reflecting not merely quantitative improvement but qualitative transformation in Hong Kong's political culture.

Certainly, Sunday’s elections signified that Hong Kong's improved electoral system literally has taken root; and underscored the city's steady progression toward prosperity under the principle of "patriots administering Hong Kong".

First, it demonstrates institutional maturity that will be conducive to governance enhancement. The most significant achievement of Sunday’s election lies in electing a batch of legislators from diverse backgrounds and areas of expertise, including capable professionals. The optimized electoral system, meticulously crafted in accordance with the Basic Law, ensures the institutionalization realization of the "patriots administering Hong Kong" principle through transparent and regulated processes from nomination to voting.

This structured environment has enabled committed individuals across Hong Kong's professional spectrum to engage in substantive policy debates. The returned legislature includes experts from legal, educational, technological, and business backgrounds, bringing in practical experience and knowledge to address Hong Kong's complex challenges. Comparative analysis reveals increased technical expertise in urban planning, public health, and financial regulation — precisely the skills needed for effective governance.

Second, the election ensures legislative accountability, replacing political theater with good governance. The new LegCo must translate electoral mandates into tangible achievements. This requires moving beyond symbolic politics to address real challenges through the professional exercise of constitutional responsibilities, including legislative review, budgetary approval, and oversight of policy implementation.

Emerging legislative priorities reflect Hong Kong's pressing needs: accelerating housing supply through policy innovation, fostering technological advancement, reforming elderly care systems, creating youth mobility pathways, and facilitating deeper integration into the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. These areas demand technical expertise and cross-sector collaboration.

The executive-legislative relationship deserves particular attention. Recent government responses to emergencies, including prioritizing fire safety legislation, demonstrate a promising precedent for constructive interaction. This transformation aligns Hong Kong's legislature with global trends toward technical governance rather than ideological confrontation.

Third, the rule of law as a foundation ensures stability for development. Hong Kong's distinctive global status rests upon its robust legal system. The election's orderly, transparent process reinforced this fundamental commitment, strengthening public confidence through visible compliance with legal procedures.

The national security laws and the improved electoral system together have created a favorable political atmosphere for constructive policy debate while ensuring social stability. Future legislative work must continue strengthening this foundation through modernized commercial laws, refined regulatory frameworks for emerging sectors, and legislation that keeps pace with demographic changes.

International confidence in Hong Kong's legal system remains crucial. Predictable legal administration and contractual respect distinguish Hong Kong's business environment, with the procedural integrity displayed in Sunday’s elections reinforcing these perceptions at a critical developmental juncture.

Fourth, Sunday’s elections effectively harnessed diversity, which will transform pluralism into competitive advantage. Hong Kong's strength derives from its remarkable diversity of perspectives, expertise, and backgrounds. The electoral system's balanced constituency design institutionalizes this pluralism within governance structures, creating a legislature that genuinely reflects Hong Kong's multifaceted society.

This diversity represents Hong Kong's most valuable resource for addressing 21st-century challenges. Complex issues like sustainable urban development and technological innovation require multidisciplinary approaches drawing on varied expertise.

Comparative analysis with global cities offers relevant insights, but Hong Kong's distinctive advantage lies in combining technical approaches with its unique position bridging the Chinese mainland and global systems. Targeted legislation should address innovation regulation, intellectual property protections, and professional service modernization.

The new LegCo has its work cut out, with many legislative priorities — particularly legislation in response to the Tai Po fire, which exposed building safety vulnerabilities.

The LegCo must prioritize funding bills to ensure affected residents receive immediate relocation and appropriate compensation. Simultaneously, expedited revisions to the Buildings Ordinance and Fire Safety Ordinance must strengthen safety requirements for aging buildings and establish mandatory regular inspection systems. This legislative work concerns not only disaster recovery but long-term urban safety governance.

A committee should be set up to supervise government departments' follow-up actions while conducting comprehensive investigation into the fire's causes and responsibilities. The LegCo must balance emergency legislation with long-term institutional development, establishing preventive mechanisms while providing rapid disaster response. This undertaking will significantly assess the new legislature's executive capability and commitment to public welfare.

Sunday’s election marked Hong Kong's decisive transition toward pragmatic governance. By attracting competent people into the legislature, establishing clear legislative priorities, reinforcing legal foundations, and making full use of Hong Kong's diverse strengths, the election created conditions for substantive problem-solving capacity.

Sunday’s election demonstrated the maturation of its unique governance model — shifting the focus from political confrontation to effective administration and governance, as well as from political grandstanding to delivering solutions.

The author is a law professor, director of the Chinese Association of Hong Kong and Macao Studies, and president of the Association for the Promotion of Rule of Law, Education and Technologies.

The views do not necessarily reflect those of China Daily.