Wider adoption of technologies and the expansion of the Legislative Council Complex will further boost communication between lawmakers and government officials, LegCo President Andrew Leung Kwan-yuen said on Tuesday.

He spoke just more than a week ahead of Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu’s question-and-answer session with legislators scheduled for Dec 12.

Members of the legislature held a luncheon with senior HKSAR government officials, including Lee, as part of a long-standing practice to promote communication with the administration.

READ MORE: Leung: LegCo to promote HK development in next 25 years

Leung emphasized the legislature’s commitment as a proactive participant and driver of deepening the city’s reform initiatives, pledging unwavering support for realizing the government’s reform agendas outlined in this year’s Policy Address.

He referred to a recent upgrading of LegCo’s meeting transcription system, powered by artificial intelligence technologies, that has raised the efficiency of transcription through new functions, enabling suggestions and advice put forward by legislators to be speedily delivered to relevant government departments.

According to Leung, the government will fund the system’s further enhancement, saying this testifies to the legislature’s unwavering commitment to innovation and comprehensive reform.

Under Hong Kong’s electoral reform program, the city increased the number of lawmakers from 70 to 90 in 2021, with some of them having to work outside the LegCo Complex due to a shortage of office space.

The complex is being expanded to provide four additional floors as legislators’ offices, and construction work has been completed. Leung said from next week, all lawmakers will work under the same roof. The relocation will facilitate not only internal communication, but also exchanges with government officials as the complex is located next to the Central Government Offices.

Government officials have been granted accesses to more floors in the LegCo Complex, encouraging them to have more face-to-face dialogues with lawmakers, Leung said.

READ MORE: Security bill: LegCo removes barriers to resume 2nd reading

The luncheon, originally set for Nov 8, had to be rescheduled to avoid clashing with a meeting hosted by Xia Baolong, director of the Hong Kong and Macao Work Office of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, in Shenzhen.

Lee said on Tuesday his question-and-answer session with lawmakers will focus on coordinating and promoting integrated development of education, technology and talents, expanding the city’s global networks and exploring new growth areas.

Since assuming office in 2022, Lee has initiated various measures to promote executive-legislative communication, including the introduction of the Ante Chamber Exchange Sessions -- a monthly event for brief exchanges among government department heads and lawmakers.

Contact the writer at amberwu@chinadailyhk.com