A government-organised election forum on Tuesday pitted two incumbent lawmakers seeking re-election against three district councillors challenging them for the New Territories North East constituency in the upcoming Legislative Council elections.

Gary Chan, lawmaker and DAB chairman, said Hong Kong is facing many challenges but his party will rise to them. Citing concerns about the job market, he said he would urge the government to halt the importation of foreign labour in sectors with high unemployment.

“Life in Hong Kong isn’t easy right now, and doing business is tough. Hong Kong is facing many challenges, but the DAB has never been a party that only shows up in good times. In your most difficult moments, we stand by your side and walk with you," he said.

New People’s Party lawmaker Dominic Lee said that during his tenure he recorded the highest attendance rate and submitted the most written and oral questions across a broad range of issues. He added that he also actively engages with the international community.

“I have given multiple interviews to foreign media, rebutting the fallacies of Western politicians, and I’ve written many English-language articles published by overseas outlets. We also organise various events to bring together expatriates in Hong Kong, and we hope they can join us in telling China’s story well to the international community," he said.

Allan Wong, an independent district councillor, said he focuses on a broad range of community issues, from environmental concerns to supporting working families.

“I’ve also offered proposals on transport infrastructure and community facilities. Most recently, I helped an estate that had failed for decades to set up its owners’ corporation. With assistance from colleagues across parties and local stakeholders, we worked together and secured support from over 40 percent of residents to establish the corporation," he said.

Federation of Trade Unions district councillor Ku Wai-ping, the youngest of the five candidates, said he hopes to be a new voice for workers and grassroots families in the constituency, advocating upgrades to community facilities, improvements to the transport network, and stronger youth development.

“As a man in my thirties, I hope to bring new voices and ideas to the legislature and new perspectives to drive the SAR government’s policies. Through my community service in recent years, I’ve met many residents, and many have told me they hope for a lawmaker who truly gets things done, lends a helping hand, and improves people’s livelihoods," he said.

Business and Professionals Alliance district councillor Calvin Tang said he hopes to leverage his experience across engineering, finance, law and public governance to help the government drive Hong Kong's economic development amid global instability.

"What the general public wants most now is economic development. But in recent years, as the global landscape keeps changing, Hong Kong feels like a ship in a vast ocean, battered by strong winds and waves. What we need is to find our own positioning and direction, and set out anew," he said.

A total of 39 “Patriots Collaborate for Good Governance” election forums are being organised by the government, covering the geographical, functional and Election Committee constituencies. All the forums will be broadcast live on RTHK TV31 and RTHK Radio 1.