Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu on Thursday said he hopes the 90 newly sworn-in lawmakers perform their duties with holistic perspectives, considering both local residents’ needs and national strategies.

Lee made his remarks after officiating at the oath-taking ceremony on Thursday morning at the Legislative Council Complex.

The ceremony started at 11 am with the national anthem. Following Starry Lee Wai-king, each lawmaker, in descending order of their seniority in LegCo, pledged to uphold the Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and swear allegiance to the Hong Kong SAR.

The government earlier said that oath-takers must sincerely believe in and strictly abide by the relevant oath prescribed by law. Any individual who makes a false oath or later acts in breach of its terms will face legal accountability.

Seven lawmakers were ordered to retake their oaths due to misspeaking.

Following the ceremony, Lee addressed lawmakers, emphasizing their responsibilities and outlining key expectations for the new term.

“Today’s oath-taking represents the solemn commitment and responsibility each of you has undertaken,” Lee said. He stressed that lawmakers should deliberate on policies with both specific needs and the broader public interests in mind, maintaining a holistic perspective that encompasses local, national, and international considerations.

When dealing with issues, legislators need to enhance their strategic thinking, innovative thinking, and bottom-line thinking abilities, and avoid making broad generalizations based on partial information, Lee added.

Lawmakers should also analyze the essence of the matter based on phenomena, Lee said.

For instance, they should not merely focus on issues, as they appear, but determine whether their true motivation is to carry out “soft confrontation”, Lee noted.

He said he hopes all lawmakers uphold the principle of an “executive-led system” in alignment with “patriots administering Hong Kong” and adhere to the code of conduct for members of the Legislative Council, which came into effect on Thursday.

Lee said that this year marks the beginning of the country’s 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30), as well as a year in which the HKSAR government will deepen reforms, boost the economy, pursue development, advance construction, and improve livelihoods.

He urged lawmakers to become partners in governance and reform, particularly in two areas: actively integrating into and contributing to national development, and jointly promoting post-fire support and reconstruction efforts, including advancing systematic reforms to prevent the recurrence of tragedies.

The full occasion lasted 90 minutes. Lee confirmed that all 90 oaths were deemed valid, marking the official start of the eighth-term LegCo’s four years in office.

ALSO READ: New lawmakers sworn in to serve HK

After the ceremony, legal sector lawmaker Nicholas Chan Hiu-fung said that he felt “deeply grateful and fully aware of profound responsibilities”. A newcomer to LegCo, Chan said he will unite all walks of society to advance people-centered, law-based governance, leveraging Hong Kong’s unique role to drive economic revitalization under the 15th Five-Year Plan, create jobs, and improve lives for all.

“Looking to 2026, I am committed to performing my legislative duties with integrity, professionalism, and diligence — ensuring residents feel tangible improvements in their daily lives.”

He added that he will also propose establishing a “maintenance authority” to enhance the coordination, quality, and transparency of building’s maintenance, protecting homeowners and community safety.

Election Committee legislator William Wong Kam-fai said that, given his background in innovation and technology, he will devote more efforts to such works.

“A significant portion of the 15th Five-Year Plan is related to innovation and technology, and there is much work to be carried out in the future,” Wong said. He emphasized the need to align local development with the national plan, particularly in the development of the Northern Metropolis, where innovation and technology will play a key role.

Duncan Chiu, who represents the technology and innovation sector in the legislature, said he believes that numerous innovation-related laws need to be passing in the new LegCo term. He added that a meeting will be held this month between tech companies and government departments to promote innovative solutions for building safety, disaster prevention, and urban management.

The youngest member of LegCo, 31-year-old former Olympic fencing champion Vivian Kong Man-wai, said her goals for the new term are to serve Hong Kong diligently, fulfill her duties conscientiously, and uphold integrity in public service.

A representative of the tourism sector, she said that she is actively learning from the industry and aims to keep improving.