Hong Kong leader John Lee, top judge and Olympic medallists among 890 named on city’s honours list
- Lee, top judge Roberto Ribeiro to be awarded two of this year’s seven Grand Bauhinia Medals
- Fencer Edgar Cheung Ka-long, the city’s first man to earn an Olympics gold medal, among athletes featuring in this year’s list
Hong Kong leader John Lee Ka-chiu has joined a top judge and medallists from the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games as part of a record 889 recipients on the government’s official honours list this year.
Lee, Court of Final Appeal permanent judge Mr Justice Roberto Ribeiro, Senior Counsel Andrew Liao Cheung-sing and lawmaker Tommy Cheung Yu-yan, were among those singled out for the Grand Bauhinia Medal, the city’s top honour.
A government spokesman said that this year’s total number of recipients awarded by former leader Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor was the highest since the 1997 handover. Last year, Lam handed out 746 awards. A total of 106 recipients this year received either a Grand Bauhinia Medal or a gold, silver or bronze Bauhinia Star, roughly the same number as in previous years.
“[Lam] is grateful to all awardees for their contributions to Hong Kong and hopes that they will continue to excel in their own fields and serve the community,” he said.
“With over 30 awardees on this year’s honours list from the sports sector, she is particularly happy with the unprecedented outstanding achievements of Hong Kong’s athletes and coaches in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympic Games and other major sports events.”
Lee was also praised in the honours list for his “dedicated and distinguished public service” over the past 44 years and his “sterling contributions during his tenure” as the security minister and chief secretary under Lam’s administration.