Martin Liao Cheung-kong, 68, a lawmaker since 2012 and affectionately known as the “class monitor” of the pro-establishment camp, emerged on Tuesday as the latest Exco member to announce that he would not seek another term in the legislature.

Three other veteran lawmakers aged over 70 who sit on Exco – Jeffrey Lam Kin-fung of the Business and Professionals Alliance for Hong Kong (BPA), Tommy Cheung Yu-yan of the Liberal Party, and non-affiliated member Chan Kin-por – announced over the weekend that they would not seek re-election.

Exco convenor Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee, 75, has yet to confirm whether she will run in the election.

“The Legislative Council differs from Exco. Exco members’ terms align with the government’s five-year tenure, ending June 30, 2027. No Exco member has indicated plans to resign before then,” Lee said before his weekly meeting with Exco advisers.

Eight lawmakers are currently Exco members, including rural leader Kenneth Lau Ip-keung, Stanley Ng Chau-pei of the Federation of Trade Unions and Gary Chan Hak-kan of the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong.