Tam Yiu-chung, vice-chairman of the Chinese Association of Hong Kong and Macao Studies, said on Monday that the Legislative Council election was completed in a smooth and efficient manner, and that he expects the new lawmakers to address the aftermath of Tai Po fire, improve public livelihoods, and channel Hong Kong’s strengths toward national development.

Following completion of vote counting on Monday morning, all 90 seats of the eighth-term Legislative Council of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region — 20 elected from geographical constituencies, 30 from functional constituencies, and 40 from the Election Committee constituency — have been successfully returned, with more than 1.3 million voters having cast their ballots.

Tam was among the first to vote, casting his ballot at around 7:30 am on Sunday, when the voting stations first opened.

He told China Daily that the recent deadly fire at Tai Po’s Wang Fuk Court had cast a shadow of grief over the community, but all stages of the electoral process proceeded smoothly, with the vote counting completed efficiently.

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Tam said he hopes the incoming legislators will closely monitor the judge-led independent committee’s review on the blaze, scrutinize the systemic issues exposed by the tragedy, and review existing regulatory loopholes. He also called on them to assist in ongoing relief efforts, particularly with helping residents secure long-term housing solutions.

Improving people's livelihoods, Tam said, must remain a key focus for the new LegCo.

Drawing on his former role as the Hong Kong deputy to the National People's Congress Standing Committee, he urged lawmakers to continue promoting Hong Kong's integration into national development strategies.

This is especially crucial, he said, as next year marks the start of the nation’s 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30).

As part of this shift, he highlighted the need for Hong Kong to leverage its strategic positioning as the "three centers and a hub" — international financial, shipping, and trade centers — as well as its positioning as an international hub for high-caliber talents, all of which were mentioned in the Resolution of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China on Further Deepening Reform Comprehensively to Advance Chinese Modernization.

Tam also said that 40 of the 90 newly elected lawmakers are first-time legislators, describing them as "new blood" injected into the council. He expressed his hope that both new and re-elected members would collaborate effectively to "fulfill their duties diligently and live up to public expectations".