New team to ‘sincerely listen, communicate’

Incoming Hong Kong leader John Lee Ka-chiu pledged on June 19 that the city’s newly appointed governance team will sincerely listen to and communicate with the public, bear in mind their interests and address the people’s concerns.

In debuting with his new team of principal officials, Lee thanked the central government for accepting and approving his nominations, as well as its trust and support for him.

Lee said that the team is united and loyal and will be result-oriented with an emphasis on team spirit and execution while sharing ideals of governance, vowing to stay committed to serving the people, enhancing the efficiency of administration, as well as reaching out and listening to the public.

The State Council (China’s Cabinet)appointed 26 principal officials of the sixth-term government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.

The 26-strong lineup of principal officials will assume office on July 1 with Lee. The new governing team will also be the biggest since the city’s return in 1997, with the government being expanded from the current 13 bureaus to 15 and the addition of three deputy secretaries to the three top-rank secretaries who are in charge of administration, finance and justice respectively.

The incoming team comprises civil servants with extensive experience in government, professionals and those who are skilled in their own sectors.

The current director of the Chief Executive’s Office, Eric Chan Kwokki, 63, has been appointed the chief secretary for administration. Chan joined the Immigration Department in 1982 and was promoted to serve as director of immigration from 2011 to 2016. Cheuk Wing-hing, who had served in multiple posts in the government, will assume the post of deputy chief secretary.

Paul Chan Mo-po, 67, will remain as the financial secretary, while the incumbent Secretary for Development, Michael Wong Wai-lun, will be the deputy financial secretary.

Paul Lam Ting-kwok, 54, will take over the post of secretary for justice. Practicing lawyer and lawmaker Cheung Kwok-kwan, 47, will join the team as the deputy secretary for justice. Both are newcomers to the governing team.

Apart from Lam and Cheung, four more newly appointed officials are new faces from outside the government, including liver transplant expert and the current Hospital Chief

Executive at The University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital Lo Chungmau, who will be secretary for health; and Alice Mak Mei-kuen, who has been appointed secretary for home and youth affairs.

Lee said the new appointees are recognized by their peers and chosen for their extensive experience in their respective fields. The team will include five women — the highest number of female members in a governance team since the handover.

Incumbent Secretary for Security Chris Tang Ping-keung and Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Erick Tsang Kwok-wai will stay on.