Former Hong Kong-Australia free trade negotiator officially named next top envoy to the city
- Career foreign affairs officer Elizabeth Ward has officially been appointed as consul general for Hong Kong and Macau following reports of visa delays
- Her appointment comes at a time of strained relations over the city’s Beijing-drafted national security law
Elizabeth Ward, a senior career officer with the Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, was officially appointed to lead the consulate in Hong Kong on Sunday, following reports that she had undergone delays in getting her visa approved by local authorities.
In April, the Australian Financial Review reported that Ward had been appointed as the new consul general to Hong Kong and Macau earlier this year, but the new role had not been formally announced due to the visa delays.
While the Australian government declined to comment at the time, Deputy Consul General Ryan Neelam had been acting in the top role since February, when the outgoing chief, Michaela Browning, departed.
Last Friday, the official residence of the Australian consul general to Hong Kong at Deep Water Bay was broken into. Preliminary investigations suggested three men were involved in the break-in, but no items were found to be missing.
Ward, who was Australia’s chief negotiator for the Australia-Hong Kong Free Trade Agreement, most recently served as the country’s first assistant secretary in the Trade, Investment and Business Engagement Division. She has previously served in Washington, New Delhi and Cairo.
Announcing Ward’s appointment on Sunday, Australia’s Foreign Affairs Minister Marise Payne said: “Australia has extensive interests in Hong Kong, built on strong trade and investment connections and long-standing people-to-people links. Hong Kong is home to one of the largest Australian communities in Asia.”