Most of these people are familiar faces. Hong Kong’s incoming leader Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor unveiled a new cabinet that mostly comprises of incumbents and promotees from within the current administration, the official announcement confirms.
According to Xinhua News Agency on Wednesday morning, Beijing has approved the choices.
The cabinet included one new face from outside the bureaucracy: Democratic Party member and social policy professor Dr Law Chi-kwong, who will become Secretary for the Civil Service.
Six incumbent ministers are keeping their portfolios, including Chief Secretary Matthew Cheung Kin-chung, Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po, Secretary for Justice Rimsky Yuen Kwok-keung,
Secretary for the Environment Wong Kam-sing, Secretary for Home Affairs Lau Kong-wah,
Secretary for Innovation and Technology Nicholas Yang Wei-hsiung and ICAC Commissioner Simon Peh Yun-lu.
There are eight promotees: four deputy ministers now elevated to head their own bureaus and four veteran civil servants join the rank of minister as political appointees.
Lam will be sworn in as chief executive on July 1, a significant date as it is the 20th anniversary of Hong Kong’s handover from British to Chinese rule.
City University political scientist Ray Yep Kin-man said Lam’s cabinet line-up showed that the political appointment system had failed to serve its main goals of attracting talent from outside the government and making ministers more accountable.
Yep suggested that after assuming office on July 1, Lam needs to handle political conflict in a more measured manner, and appoint a greater diversity of people to advisory bodies.
Carrie Lam’s cabinet (*denotes incumbent)
Chief Secretary: Matthew Cheung Kin-chung*
Financial Secretary: Paul Chan Mo-po *
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*