Donald Tsang Yam-kuen has asked big companies, including multinational firms, to recommend outstanding young staff to join advisory bodies such as the Commission on Strategic Development.
The chief executive is understood to have told pro-Beijing politicians in September he had requested big companies recommend junior staff members as potential government appointees to key advisory bodies. The politicians quoted Mr Tsang as saying his call had drawn a positive response, adding that candidates under the age of 45 were preferable.
The revelation came as more people confirmed they had been approached by the administration to join the Commission on Strategic Development.
Chan Yuen-han, a legislator from the Federation of Trade Unions, executive councillor Tsang Yok-sing and pro-democracy legislator Lau Chin-shek have been invited to sit on the executive committee under the commission.
Head of the Central Policy Unit, Lau Siu-kai, said the committee would look at Hong Kong's macroscopic development and oversee the operation of the commission.
Another three committees - the Committee on Governance and Political Development, the Committee on Economic Development and Economic Co-operation with the Mainland and the Committee on Social Development and Quality of Life - will also be set up under the commission.