Hong Kong district councilors sworn in

As the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region's seventh-term district councilors were sworn in on Monday, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu expressed the hope for them to firmly bear allegiance to the SAR and serve as a vital bridge between the government and the public to bring tangible improvements to communities.

All 470 district councilors took their oaths to uphold the Basic Law and bear allegiance to the HKSAR.The ceremony was administered by Alice Mak Mei-kuen, secretary for Home and Youth Affairs. She determined that all of their oaths were valid. Their term of office is four years.

During the ceremony, Lee said that the district councilors are all competent patriots from diverse backgrounds who are dedicated to serving their communities. He emphasized their important role in enhancing regional governance and encouraged them to work collaboratively with the government to implement policies, reflect community opinions and bring tangible benefits for residents.

Lee hoped all the councilors could implement the principle of "patriots administering Hong Kong" at the district governance level and uphold the important duty of safeguarding national security.

He stressed the need for them to focus on the concerns and needs of the community, solve practical problems and prioritize residents' wellbeing.

Mak said after the ceremony that each district council would hold its first meeting this week and establish various working groups, including an economic revitalization group to boost the economy.

She said district councilors will propose measures tailored to their districts, utilizing their understanding of local conditions to design activities that showcase their areas' characteristics.

Mak mentioned she has held discussions with Secretary for Housing Winnie Ho Wing-yin to expedite the opening of district councilors' offices.

Ng Sing-wah, a district councilor from Kwun Tong District vowed that during his four-year term, he will pay more attention to the benefits of grassroots families. He also pledged to live up to the expectations of the central government and act as a facilitator for effective communication between the SAR government and the public.

Kam Man-fung, chairman of the Tuen Mun Fire Safety Committee and a district councilor of Tuen Mun District Committees, said that he would abide by his oath, uphold the Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, and serve the public with integrity.

Kam added he will support the work of the government's Community Care Teams. He will also establish his office soon for residents to seek help and reflect on their opinions on district work.

Sung Ping-ping from the Wu Tip Shan constituency in North District highlighted the importance of addressing residents' concerns in areas such as education, healthcare and social welfare through collaboration with stakeholders.