Hong Kong’s biggest political party elects new leader Gary Chan, who vows reform and ‘good governance’ focus instead of chasing votes

Gary Chan becomes chairman of Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong, replacing Starry Lee, who said she would stand down last month

Chan says pro-Beijing party will propose ‘as many candidates as possible’ for coming district council election, despite decision to move focus away from polls

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Gary Chan (centre) started his political career with the DAB in 1999 by getting elected as the then youngest ever district councillor at the age of 23. Photo: Elson LI

Published: 8:30pm, 25 Sep 2023Updated: 9:53am, 26 Sep 2023

Hong Kong’s biggest political party elected lawmaker Gary Chan Hak-kan as its leader on Monday, as he vowed to reform the group by shifting its focus towards helping authorities govern the city and away from chasing votes.

But the new chairman of the pro-Beijing Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong (DAB) also made it clear the party would propose “as many candidates as possible” to run in the coming district council election on December 10.

“The DAB is committed to enhancing the delivery of good governance. We are a cross-social class political organisation working for Hong Kong society overall and long-term interests,” Chan, 47, told reporters after the party voted for its new leadership.

The party elected lawmakers Elizabeth Quat and Ben Chan Han-pan to new roles as vice-chairwoman and vice-chairman, with incumbent deputies Brave Chan Yung, Holden Chow Ho-ding and Chan Hok-fung serving for another term.

Gary Chan succeeds DAB’s first woman leader Starry Lee Wai-king, now the city’s sole representative to the apex body of the national legislature. Lee announced in August she would not seek to renew her eight-year stint as party leader because of “limited time and limited work capability”.

Asked whether the party’s new focus on targeting governance would undermine its role in monitoring the government, the new chairman argued the move was in line with the city’s journey “from stability to prosperity”, employing a phrase used by officials to describe Hong Kong’s recovery following the 2019 protests.

Gary Chan succeeds DAB’s first woman leader Starry Lee Wai-king, now the city’s sole representative to the apex body of the national legislature. Photo: Sam Tsang

“The party has always adhered to the principle of ‘stick to the right and part with the wrong’. We will back the government for its good deeds, but we will also criticise it for what it doesn’t do well,” he said.