The Alliance Party has paid tribute to its “ground-breaking” and “trailblazing” former assembly member Anna Lo, who has died at the age of 74.

Ms Lo was the first ethnic-minority politician elected to Stormont, and the first Chinese-born person to be elected to a legislative parliament in western Europe

Alliance leader Naomi Long described her as a “great friend” and paid tribute to her “dedication and passion for serving her constituents” in Belfast.

She added that Ms Lo had been brave in confronting the “appalling racism” she faced during her political career.

Born in Hong Kong, Anna Lo moved to Northern Ireland in 1974.

At first she took jobs as a translator and as a BBC secretary, before attending Ulster University where she qualified to begin work as a social worker.

She later became the director of the Chinese Welfare Association in Belfast and a founding commissioner of the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland.

Lo was first elected to the Northern Ireland Assembly in 2007, representing South Belfast for the Alliance Party.

She was re-elected five years later and served until her retirement in 2016.

Her sons, Owen and Conall Watson described her as a “campaigner for equality and social justice in Northern Ireland”.

In a family statement, they confirmed that she died in Belfast City Hospital on Wednesday, following complications of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

They added that even from her hospital bed, she “continued to champion the issues that she had dedicated her life to”.

“We are incredibly proud of Anna and what she achieved throughout her life and career,” her sons said.

“She was a wonderful mother, grandmother, partner and friend, whose energy, joy and integrity inspired those she met.”

“Anna stood for and fought for equality, for women’s rights, against discrimination including racism, and for a political system to serve the needs of people rather than reinforce historic divisions,” they added.

In a party statement, the Alliance leader said: “Anna will forever be remembered as a ground-breaker in local politics.”

Ms Long added: “Her service to the Chinese community, to good relations and to the city of Belfast, much of which went unseen by most, was transformational.”

She said her friend had “a number of causes close to her heart, including protection of the environment and human rights, and was a strong voice on women’s rights and equality”.

She added that she would “miss her warmth, her humour, her kindness and her courage as will everyone in Alliance,”.

Former Alliance leader David Ford said: “I am sad to hear the news of her passing but her legacy as a trailblazer in Northern Ireland politics will live on.”

Speaking on the BBC’s Evening Extra programme he said it was a “huge boost” to Alliance in 2007 when she became “the first ethnic Chinese legislator in Europe”.

“It was a statement that Northern Ireland is a different society, a changing society, and Anna was prepared to be part of demonstrating that herself.

“You know, punching through that glass ceiling which was keeping the assembly, up to that stage, totally white and predominantly male.”

Mr Ford said she was a formidable politician who despite her small physical stature “intellectually punched well above her weight”.

“I reminded of an occasion that she left party headquarters in University Street and found a couple of characters who were trying to interfere with her car,” he recalled.

“And she just went straight down towards them and they ran away.

“So five-foot-nothing Anna was able to terrify street hoodlums who were probably 30 years younger than her. “

But he said he personally would remember her as “an incredibly warm personality” whose interest in people shone through every aspect of her life.

Lo served on several assembly scrutiny committees, including as chair of the environment committee.

In 2014, she said she would not be seeking re-election, explaining that continual racist abuse had influenced her decision.

She made headlines earlier that year after declaring her preference for a united Ireland at a time when she was an Alliance election candidate for the European Parliament.

She is survived by her sons Conall and Owen, two grandchildren and partner Robert.