Гонконг Заңнамалық Кеңесінің Төрағасы

Presiding officer of the Legislative Council of Hong Kong

The president of the Legislative Council is the presiding officer of the Legislative Council of Hong Kong. According to the Article 71 of the Hong Kong Basic Law, the president of the Legislative Council is elected by and from among Legislative Council members, plays the presiding role, administrative role and ceremonial role, and ensures the smooth conduct of the Legislative Council meetings.

From the establishment of the council in 1843 to 1993, the president of the Legislative Council of Hong Kong was the governor. In 1991, a deputy president, John Joseph Swaine, was appointed by the governor from among the non official members to chair the sittings. The governor remained president and member, but systematically absented himself from most of the sittings. In February 1993, the governor ceased to be member and president of the council. The presidency was handed over to a member elected from among the unofficial members.

Under the current system, the president shall be a Chinese citizen and permanent resident of Hong Kong SAR of not less than 40 years of age, with no right of abode in any foreign country and has ordinarily resided in Hong Kong for continuous period of not less than 20 years. Under the undemocratic election system of the legislature, the role of president has been occupied by a pro Beijing legislator since 1 July 1997.

The president is also the chairman of the Legislative Council Commission, a statutory body and provides administrative support and services for the Legislative Council and its members through the Legislative Council secretariat. The Legislative Council Commission determines the organization and administration of support services and facilities, formulate and execute policies on their effective operation and expand funds in ways it see fit to support these activities.

The president is accorded the sixth place in the official precedence list following the chief executive, the chief justice of the Court of Final Appeal, the chief secretary for Administration, the financial secretary and the secretary for justice. He or she is the representative of the Legislative Council on ceremonial and formal occasions.

Before 1993, the Legislative Council was presided over by the Governor of Hong Kong.

From 25 December 1941 to 30 August 1945, the office was suspended due to the Japanese Occupation of Hong Kong. The representative advisory bodies during the time were the Chinese Representative Council and Chinese Cooperative Council.