Explainer: Who is approved to face the public vote in Hong Kong’s first ‘patriots only’ election?

In March, 2021, Beijing passed legislation to ensure “patriots” govern Hong Kong ahead of the 2021 Legislative Council polls on December 19. The move reduced democratic representation in the legislature, tightened control of elections and introduced a pro-Beijing vetting panel to select candidates. The Hong Kong government said the overhaul would ensure the city’s stability and prosperity. But the changes also prompted international condemnation, as they made it near-impossible for pro-democracy candidates to stand.

Major pan-democracy groups have not put forward any candidates following the overhaul whilst most of the city’s opposition figures remain behind bars, are abroad in self-exile, have quit politics or are barred from running.

Surveys predict there may be a low turnout, whilst the government has warned that advocating for protest votes or a boycott is illegal. The total number of seats in the legislature increased from 70 to 90, but the number of seats in the newly-redrawn geographical constituencies – elected directly by the general public – decreased from 35 to 20. HKFP rounds up who has been approved to stand for the directly-elected seats. Two candidates from each constituency will become lawmakers.

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Candidates for Hong Kong Island West

• Districts included: Central & Western District, Southern District, and Islands District
• Projected population as at June 2021: 698,900
• Number of registered voters: 374,302

Candidates:

1. Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee: Ip, a veteran politician, is the chairman and founder of the pro-Beijing New People’s Party. She is currently a member of both the Executive Council and Legislative Council.
2. Chan Hok-fung: Chan was a District Councillor in Central & Western District for the pro-Beijing DAB from 2008 to 2019.
3. Fong Lung-fei: Fong is a member of the Islands District Council after winning a seat against a pro-Beijing candidate in 2019. He describes himself as a “pro-democracy independent candidate.”

Candidates for Hong Kong Island East

• Districts included: Eastern District and Wan Chai District
• Projected population as at June 2021: 718,600
• Number of registered voters: 424,849

Candidates:

1. Edward Leung Hei: Leung is the CEO of a property developer and DAB member since 2017 but has never run in district or legislative elections previously.
2. Marcus Liu Tin-shing: Liu is running for the pro-Beijing New People’s Party after joining in May 2020. He ran and lost in both the 2016 LegCo election and in the 2019 district council election.
3. Stanley Ng Chau-pei: Ng chairs the pro-Beijing Federation of Trade Unions. He is a former part-time consultant for the government’s Central Policy Unit.
4. Jason Poon Chuk-hung: Poon was the whistle-blower during the MTR Hung Hom project scandal in 2018. He said he belongs to neither the “pro-establishment” nor the “non-establishment” camp.

Candidates for New Territories South West

• Districts included: Kwai Tsing District and Tsuen Wan District
• Projected population as at June 2021: 824,600
• Number of registered voters: 509,991

Candidates:

1. Adrian Lau Cheuk-yu: Lau describes himself as an independent democrat.
2. Ben Chan Han-pan: Chan represents the pro-Beijing DAB.
3. Joephy Chan Wing-yan: Chan represents the pro-Beijing Federation of Trade Unions.

Candidates for New Territories South East

• Districts included: Sai Kung District, and the eastern part of Sha Tin
• Projected population as at June 2021: 746,400
• Number of registered voters: 472,203

Candidates:

1. Daryl Choi Ming-hei: Choi was once a Civic Party member and now describes himself as Democrat from Grassroots.
2. Stanley Li Sai-wing: Li is a candidate of the pro-Beijing DAB.
3. Lam So-wai: Lam is a pro-establishment candidate, representing Professional Power Limited.

Candidates for New Territories North West

• Districts included: Tuen Mun District and the south-eastern part of Yuen Long
• Projected population as at June 2021: 791,700
• Number of registered voters: 467,971

Candidates:

1. Holden Chow Ho-ding: Chow represents the pro-Beijing DAB.
2. Michael Tien Puk-sun: Tien is a pro-establishment candidate and the convenor of political group Roundtable.
3. Caspar Wong Chun-long: Wong is a representative of Third Side, which describes itself as a “non-pro-establishment” party.

Candidates for North Territories North East

• Districts included: Tai Po District and the western part of Sha Tin
• Projected population as at June 2021: 775,100
• Number of registered voters: 477,742

Candidates:

1. Dominic Lee Tsz-king: Lee is a representative of the pro-Beijing New People’s Party.
2. Nelson Wong Sing-chi: Wong a former Democratic Party member who is running as an independent.
3. Gary Chan Hak-kan: Chan is a member of the pro-Beijing DAB.
4. Allan Wong Wing-ho: Wong is a candidate from the “non-pro-establishment” think tank Path of Democracy.

Candidates for New Territories North

• Districts included: North District and the north-western part of Yuen Long
• Projected population as at June 2021: 694,200
• Number of registered voters: 430,962

Candidates:

1. Gary Zhang Xin-yu: Zhang is a pro-establishment candidate of a group called New Prospect for Hong Kong.
2. Lau Kwok-fan: Lau is running for the pro-Beijing DAB and is currently a LegCo member.
3. Wilson Shum Ho-kit: Shum is running as an independent.
4. Judy Tzeng Li-wen: Tzeng is a former member of the pro-democracy party People Power.

Candidates for Kowloon West

• Districts included: Yau Tsim Mong District and Sham Shui Po District
• Projected population as at June 2021: 780,000
• Number of registered voters: 380,749

Candidates:

1. Scott Leung Man-kwong: Leung was a District Councillor in Sham Shui Po from 2007 to 2019, when he lost to a pro-democratic candidate.
2. Frederick Fung Kin-kee: Fung is a veteran democrat running as an independent.
3. Vincent Cheng Wing-shun: Cheng represents the pro-Beijing DAB.

Candidates for Kowloon East

• Districts included: Kwun Tong District and the south-eastern part of Wong Tai Sin
• Projected population as at June 2021: 771,800
• Number of registered voters: 474,786

Candidates:

1. Bill Tang Ka-piu: Tang was a pro-Beijing Legislative Councillor between 2012 to 2016 and was a District Councillor until 2019.
2. Ngan Man-yu: Ngan is a member of the Kwun Tong District Council for the pro-Beijing DAB.
3. Chan Chun-hung: Chan is a member of the self-declared “non-pro-establishment” Path of Democracy led by Ronny Tong. He lost in the 2019 District Council race with 336 votes.
4. Philip Wu Kin-wa: Wu is member of the “gau wu” group, a protest group descended from the Umbrella Movement. He lost the 2011 District Council election.
5. Li Ka-yan: Li is an election committee member in the Chinese medicine sector. She lost in the 2019 District Council election.

Candidates for Kowloon Central

• Districts included: Kowloon City District and the north-western part of Wong Tai Sin
• Projected population as at June 2021: 778,900
• Number of registered voters: 454,179

Candidates:

1. Starry Lee Wai-king: Lee is the current chair of the pro-Beijing DAB.
2. Kitson Yang Wing-kit: Yang is a pro-establishment candidate representing the Kowloon Federation of Associations.
3. Mandy Tam Heung-man: Tam describes herself as a member of the democratic bloc. She was once a member of the Civic Party but is running as an independent.

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