Veteran Hong Kong politician and senior government adviser Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee has announced that she will not seek another term in the coming Legislative Council election, bringing her 17-year stint as a lawmaker to a close.

The 75-year-old chairwoman of the New People’s Party, who has served in Legco since 2008, is not on the list of eight candidates announced by her group on Saturday.

“After 17 years in the legislature, I think it is time for me to pass the torch to young people,” said Ip, who stressed that she was not retiring.

“I still have many platforms to work on.”

She pledged to continue her work with the government’s key decision-making body, the Executive Council, and her think tank, while promoting people-to-people diplomacy, advancing policy research and helping mainland Chinese companies expand globally.

She called on her supporters and fans not to be disheartened by her decision.