Hong Kong’s new cabinet revealed with plenty of familiar faces
Beijing has approved chief-executive elect Carrie Lam’s ministerial choices, which mostly comprise incumbents and promotees from within the current administration
There are eight promotees: four deputy ministers now elevated to head their own bureaus and four veteran civil servants joining the rank of minister as political appointees.
The team will assume office on July 1.
Lau Siu-kai, vice-chairman of the Chinese Association of Hong Kong and Macau Studies, a semi-official think tank, said on Wednesday that appointing Dr Law Chi-kwong as a minister would not help improve the government’s relationship with the pan-democratic camp.
Lau said since there are significant differences in the political stance of the Hong Kong government and the pan-democrats and that their relationship could only be improved if Lam adopts a tolerant and moderate style of governance.
Chinese University political scientist Ivan Choy Chi-keung said on Wednesday that the new cabinet’s line-up fell short of the public expectation, as Lam had previously vowed to inject new blood and nominate more women as ministers.
He believes that the cabinet lacks new faces because aspiring politicians from the business and academic worlds are deterred by the “heat of the kitchen”.
The central government has also tightened its grip on the appointment of new ministers, Choy added.
There was wide speculation that Rex Auyeung Pak-kuen, Asia chairman of a United States-based insurance firm, would become the financial chief. But lawmakers and pundits understand that Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po was reappointed because Beijing trusts him.
Carrie Lam’s cabinet (* denotes incumbent)
Chief Secretary: Matthew Cheung Kin-chung*
Secretary for Justice: Rimsky Yuen Kwok-keung*
Secretary for Labour and Welfare: Dr Law Chi-kwong
Secretary for Education: Kevin Yeung Yun-hung
Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs: Patrick Nip Tak-kuen
Secretary for Security: John Lee Ka-chiu
Secretary for the Environment: Wong Kam-sing*
Secretary for Development: Michael Wong Wai-lun
Secretary for Transport and Housing: Frank Chan Fan
Secretary for Home Affairs: Lau Kong-wah*
Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury: James Lau
Secretary for Food and Health: Professor Sophia Chan Siu-chee
Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development: Edward Yau Tang-wah
Secretary for Innovation and Technology: Nicholas Yang Wei-hsiung*
Secretary for the Civil Service: Joshua Law Chi-kong
ICAC Commissioner: Simon Peh Yun-lu*
Commissioner of Police: Stephen Lo Wai-chung*
Director of Audit: David Sun Tak-kei*
Director of Immigration: Erick Tsang Kwok-wai*
Commissioner of Customs and Excise: Hermes Tang Yi-hoi