Two months after assuming office amid controversy, Undersecretary for Commerce and Economic Development Greg So Kam-leung will stand in for his boss next week.
The solicitor-turned-official will act as secretary for commerce and economic development during Rita Lau Ng Wai-lan's absence from Hong Kong from Monday afternoon to Tuesday.
A bureau spokesman said Mr So would take the reins while Mrs Lau attended the 11th annual meeting of the Hong Kong-Guangdong Co-operation Joint Conference in Guangzhou.
Undersecretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Raymond Tam Chi-yuen began acting for his minister, Stephen Lam Sui-lung, yesterday, while Mr Lam joined a government delegation for a three-day visit to Chengdu to discuss post-quake reconstruction with Sichuan authorities.
It is the first time the political understudies have acted as ministers.
In June, the government arranged for other ministers to cover for colleagues' absences, even though some of the deputies had already taken up office.
